Have you ever been overwhelmed by variety?

korean brands are notorious for their wide range of skin care products, even for someone like me who've been exposed to so many products, i still feel overwhelmed when i enter their shop to be surrounded by hundreds of DIFFERENT products.

it'd be fine if i knew exactly what each line did, but i don't.

sometimes it's a bad thing to have so many different lines, because people end up in the paradox of choice because they exhausted their decision making ability when fazed with too many products.

i was looking through innisfree's new online store and was lost for a while. it's nice of them to group products according to the concerns you have, but they also used their own terms which may confuse those who're not familiar with skin care. i hate to say this, but there are "industrial standards" when it comes to naming items because consumers are used to certain words.

here's a cheat sheet if you are confused like me. i'm merely translating their series into terms that are more familiar to me. i've looked through their ingredients and main claims to group them accordingly.

1. TROUBLE CARE is known as PRODUCTS FOR OILY SKIN (acne and pimples prone)

JEJU BIJA ANTI-TROUBLE SERIES 

i don't know what torreya seed does, it's said to have good healing powers (and peeling effect?). i do, however, know that this product contains salicylic acid, effective in melting and clearing excess sebum.

this series comes in cleansing gel, cleansing foam, toner, lotion, and spot essence.

2. PORE CARE is also known as PORE REFINING PRODUCTS

SUPER VOLCANIC SERIES

CLEANS the pores by absorbing sebum and contracting pores temporarily. also contains AHA (lactic acid) to help with exfoliation.

IF PORES DUE TO DEHYDRATION, use moisturizing products below in section 3 to plump up skin to reduce pore size.

IF PORES DUE TO AGING, use anti aging products below in section 4 to improve elasticity of skin to shrink pore size.

3. NUTRI-MOISTURIZING and MOISTURIZING are moisturizers for everyone. 

the "nutri" meaning nutrients within the cream, it's not new for companies to infuse food extracts into skin care, assuming dietary nutrients can be utilized by our skin.

GREEN TEA SERIES

contains "fresh green tea water" for moisturizing.

OLIVE REAL SKIN SERIES

contains extra virgin olive oil for hydration and restoration of moisture barrier.

4. FIRMING and WRINKLE CARE is also known as ANTI-AGING TREATMENTS

SOYBEAN SERIES

contains fermented soybean to stimulate collagen production in the skin.

ORCHID SERIES

contains orchid extract, a powerful antioxidant. cream is extra nourishing to plump up mature skin. can also be grouped under the moisturizing group.

SEAWEED SERIES (ECO SCIENCE SERIES)

formulated with antioxidants to repair skin barrier and improve elasticity.

5. WHITENING is whitening, nothing fancy!

TANGERINE PEEL SERIES (ECO SCIENCE WHITE C SERIES)

formulated with eco-friendly organic jeju tangerine peel extract and green tea, giving you a double-up effect in brightening your skin.

WHITENING PORE SERIES

containing citrus flavonoids, this series will brighten dull skin and suppress melanin production.

to be completely honest with you all, i was overwhelmed by all the products once again just now. i will try to describe how it feels like - frustration and confusion. i'm confused because there're multiple lines that seem to serve similar functions, frustrated because i need to know my stuff before i can actually write about it! after 2 long hours cross referencing the different websites, i think i'm pretty close to categorizing the series above. 

to my horror, there are a few more new product lines i saw on the korean official website, but my korean isn't good enough for me to understand what those products serve to do, so i left them out of this entry. i suddenly have a lot of admiration for innisfree sales associates as they have to know ALL the products inside out. that's a lot to stomach!

if i were to start a skin care line, i'd make it super simple and easy with just 4 product lines - hydrating, anti aging, and whitening. pore refining, acne/pimples and oily skin can be grouped together as the 4th line. and each line will have only one set of products! 

sometimes, less is more.

image credit: innisfreeworld and innisfree korea

Innisfree No Sebum Primer (Swatch and Review)

if you have extra oily skin, you may want to incorporate this item into your makeup routine to help them last longer. this primer helps to soak up some oils and blur out pores, allowing you to have a smooth canvas to apply makeup on.

there are plenty of primers like these in the market, i picked this up because it's much cheaper than what i can find in singapore. these cost 10000 korean won, which is about 10USD (13SGD) as opposed to paying 20SGD for a maybelline baby skin primer. if you're familiar with the latter, then you can have a feel of what this product does.

as the name suggest, this primer is meant to get rid of excess oils.

IN A NUTSHELL
1. removes shine in an instant
2. smoothes out skin
3. blurs pores


it comes with a small opening as you do not need a lot of the product. in fact, if you used too much, your makeup will slide across your face later. less is more with this product!


the product claims to produce a shine free face while refining lines at the same time.

i couldn't find the ingredient list, but i'm pretty sure it contains silicones and silica. they did however make it a point to tell me that it's paraben free.

the product is a colourless gel, you may have saw it in my korean haul video here.



looking at the swatch, you can see how it removed most of the shine and blurred out my enlarged pores. my pock mark is still visible, but at least the pores doesn't look as glaring anymore!

IMHO

this does a pretty good job at reducing shine instantaneously. i haven't got the chance to really test it out enough because i don't have very oily skin to begin with, therefore i seldom use this product before applying foundation.

i can't vouch for the long lasting power of it, but i do know that you really only need a very tiny amount. if you use any more than what you need, your makeup will have difficulty staying put on my face. i tried that once and my foundation just refuse to sit on my face! it really makes my skin SO smooth that the foundation just glided right past where it's supposed to be on.

i think it would be best to use the primer, coupled with a setting powder if you have very oily skin.

my girlfriend purchased this for me while travelling in korea for 10000 korean won.

Innisfree Creamy Tint Lip Mousse 05 Sweet Vitamin Red (Swatch and Review)


first swatch (and probably the only colour swatch!) from my innisfree purchases from my korean beauty haul! out of the three items i picked out from innisfree, this is the only colour makeup product.

just why did i buy this full bodied red out of the 7 colours!? well, i don't have a red lipstick yet, and knowing how pigmented and rich this product is, i thought it'll be a good and sure way to get my first red lips.


as the box suggests, the product is touted to be
1. vivid colour,
2. light fitting,
3. long lasting.

it's enriched with camelia oil which helps with hydration and moisturizing.

from it's official website, you can wear this as a light tint, a full on lip colour, and as a cheek colour.


the doe foot application is slightly tapered at the end for a more precise application.


swatched on my lips. i blotted it off while it's still wet, hence most of the products came off.


05 vitamin red is a bright and vibrant red, looks neutral to me so it works for both warm and cool undertone.

it can be worn as a tint by spreading a tiny bit of product out on the lips, or as a full-on red lips. the colour is very vibrant and almost has a neon opacity to it.

the product is not a lip stain, however it will dry down over time to form a thin veil of colour over your lips.

the lip mousse is scented - smells like candy to me.


IMHO:
one thing i really like about korean lip products: they know how to make the colour pop. i think this is a technology that a lot of western brands have not caught on yet. i don't know what they added into the formula to make the lip colour stand out like this. now i really want to get the other shades from this line as well knowing how opaque the colour is. IT IS TRUE TO THE TUBE! what you see is what you get! the colour payoff is definitely more opaque than a tint (a tint is more watery and translucent, while a mousse as more punch to it)

as for longevity, it lasted me a good day even though the colour didn't look as vibrant as before. once it dries down it is a little harder for it to be removed by rubbing your lips with a tissue. blotting gets almost nothing off.

is it really light fitting? HELL YES!!! again!!! i'm so impressed by korean beauty products. once it dries down, it becomes a lip hugging colour layer that feels just like your own skin.

however, it does dry out over time and if you don't apply any lip balm, it may make your lips feel dry.

i'm not kidding when i say i want to buy more shades. i'm so interested in shades 3 and 4, the former being a coral pink, the latter a hot pink.

MAKEUP LOOK

freshly applied: it looks kind of wet and uneven because i wanted more colour on the inner part of my lips.


after half a day, the sheen is gone, but the colour is still there. it's not a stain, just a very thin layer of product sticking close to my lips.

worn lightly as a tint.

Innisfree, Nature Republic, Etude House Korean Beauty Haul & Swatch (Video)

this is a rather massive haul to me because i've never spent a hundred bucks at one go just to buy a load of cosmetics. i usually collect small purchases over time! so this is definitely a first for me. i'm really excited to share all my good buys with you all!!!

i did my research and rounded down my purchases to these items. to me they are all bang for the buck, if you're a deal shopper just like me, read on (i tried to include all the information including price and size)! ANNNNND, if you don't have the time to sit through my video, below is the condensed version of the video :D but if you have 13 minutes to spare, my video could be potentially entertaining :P it's so long this time round because i swatched most of the product and i wanted to show my initial reactions to it. not scripted, not staged. just a one take video from start to finish.




the family photo :D

INNISFREE__________________________________________________________________

no-sebum mineral primer | creamy tint lip mousse 05 vitamin red | no-sebum mineral powder



unboxed: no-sebum mineral primer | creamy tint lip mousse 05 vitamin red | no-sebum mineral powder

NO-SEBUM MINERAL PRIMER___________________________________________________


no-sebum mineral primer. blended out on the right.

it mattified my hand and blurred out the lines. similar to the maybelline pore eraser in terms of texture and visible differences, but the latter don't seem to be sebum controlling. i've did a mini test the other day and it kept my forehead shine free (it was only a few hours though), WOW. heavy herb scent.

price: 10000 won
size: 25mlinnisfree official site

NO-SEBUM MINERAL POWDER___________________________________________________


no-sebum mineral powder. well blended on the right.

the powder also serves to control shine, it goes on translucent and isn't cakey at all. very smooth due to the silicones, have yet to try this out yet. has a slight herbal scent similar to that of the primer. this is the best selling item from innisfree! HAD TO TRY IT.

price: 6000 won
size: 5ginnisfree official site


CREAMY TINT LIP MOUSSE___________________________________________________


creamy tint lip mousse 05 vitamin red. worn lightly in the middle, and full on red lips on the right.

slightly scented, very pigmented and creamy, blends really well and applies very evenly. stays creamy with a touch of slight sheen as you have seen in my video (even though my video is 13 minutes long, the actualy run time prior to cutting is half an hour). definitely works better than a normal lipstick thanks to the added moisture. I LOVE ITTTTTTTTTTT. the colour is a very bright red, slightly neon in my opinion, which was what allowed the colour to stay true even on my lips. smells like candy.

price: 10000 won
size: 4.8mlinnisfree official site


NATURE REPUBLIC___________________________________________________________


california aloe sun block spf50 | provence blending highlighter | shine blossom blusher 05 shading beige


unboxed: california aloe sun block spf50 | provence blending highlighter | shine blossom blusher 05 shading beige

CALIFORNIA ALOE SUN BLOCK___________________________________________________


california aloe sun block spf50. blended out on the right.

very moisturizing, feels like a cream to me. smells like cucumber. and has a very slight white cast, good if you wanna brighten your face. bad if you have darker skin tone as this may look like an ashy cast.

price: 25800 won (but it was on 50% off at 12900 won)
size: 100ml

PROVENCE BLENDING HIGHLIGHTER______________________________________________


provence blending highlighter. half blended in the centre, fully blended on the right.

i described it as liquid-y in the video, but as you can see it actually doesn't drip or flow when it's on my hand. the moment you touch it it becomes a very light weight liquid that blends out really easily. i don't wanna know what kind of chemicals they added inside to make it blend like that. ignorance is bliss? haha! the highlighter is wonderful. it has a slight pinkish tint to it, but once you blended it out you can't tell the pink at all. just an awesome pearly product that sinks into the skin to fake the "i just woke up with this glow" look. slightly scented.

price: 10900 won
size: 40ml

SHINE BLOSSOM BLUSHER 05 SHADING BEIGE__________________________________


shine blossom blusher 05 shading beige. swatched heavily on left, blended out on right.

smells heavenly! similar scent to the blending highlighter, only heavier. it has a slight pearly finish, sans shimmer, feels like a skin toned highlighter to me that would work as a bronzer on my cheeks. i thought i could use this as a shading powder but it's too light to do that for me (aka my skin is a little dark). powder is soft, blends easily, WONDERFUL.

price: 6900 won
size:10g


if you're interested in seeing their whole range of products, you can check out their official site, it's in korean. i wanted to link the individual items here but their website are done in such a way that i can't do that. :( sorry girls.


ETUDE HOUSE_______________________________________________________________


precious mineral any cushion W13 natural beige | look at my eyes cafe be102, br402, pk004 | look at my eyes br401, br402, or205


unboxed: precious mineral any cushion W13 natural beige | look at my eyes cafe be102, br402, pk004 | look at my eyes br401, br402, or205



PRECIOUS MINERAL ANY CUSHION W13__________________________________________

i haven't opened the cushion bb yet, i'm saving it for a first impression. i got it in W13 natural beige, it's just a tad darker than the light beige (which would make me look like a white ghost). it comes with spf 50, and pa+++.

price: 18000 won
size: 15g
etude house official site


LOOK AT MY EYES CAFE & LOOK AT MY EYES__________________________________


top row: look at my eyes cafe // be102 honey milk, br401 cafe latte, pk004
bottom row: look at my eyes // br401, br402, or205


left: look at my eyes cafe //  pk004, br401 cafe latte, be102 honey milk
right: look at my eyes //or205, br402, br401

WONDERFULLLLLLLLLLLLL EYESHADOWS! powder is buttery smooth, pigmented, and glides onto skin (without primer) smoothly. watch the video for the actual swatching, you can see that i only did one swipe for most (except for pk004, it seems to be a little less smooth than the rest). the metallic finish ones felt more velvety than the matte finish ones.

look at my eyes cafe // MATTE FINISH
pk004 - a deep purple that has a red undertone
br401 cafe latte - pinkish toned beige, perfect for blending out harsh edges
be102 honey milk - off white shade, good as a base or highlighting

look at my eyes // METALLIC FINISH (with some glitter)
or205 - metallic orange, what else can i describe? presence of glitter.
br402 - metallic copper, almost a foil finish.
br401 - metallic gold, same finish as br402.

price: 3500 won
size: 2g
etude house site for look at my eyes cafe (matte)
etude house site for look at my eyes (metallic)

hope you all found this useful! :D
let me know if you guys like my haul videos and what would you like for me to include in my videos!

xoxo
karman