Latest Posts

First Impressions: iSOi Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum*

Published by

I'm SO Intelligent Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum

The iSOi Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum* was another skin care item that came in my last BNT box. Fun Fact: iSOi stands for “I’m SO Intelligent.”

Here’s a product description I got from EC21:

Concept: Intensive, quick and effective anti-spot care

— Improvement of uneven skin tone, blemishes and pigmentation (whitening function)
While it fills sunken area with moisture, arbutin and natural vitamins from Bulgarian rose oil, as whitening agents, even out and clear up red skin tone.

— Quick and gentle soothing serum (anti-trouble care)
Natural anti-trouble ingredients including centella asiatica prevent clogged pores and quickly calm sensitive skin.

— Continuous supply of moisture (24 hour-lasting skin hydration)
Ultra fine rose oil having superior skin penetration and natural skin hydrating ingredients deep penetrate through the skin and keep it soft and supple for 24 hours and increase the skin’s own regenerative power by strengthening the skin barrier.

I'm SO Intelligent Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum - Product

How to Use: After using a tonic, apply 1-2 pumps evenly to the skin and gently pat onto face until absorbed.

I haven’t tested this out that thoroughly yet, but the consistency is a bit tacky when applied to the skin, but it absorbs pretty quickly anyway. The formula seems pretty decent, too, as it has no parabens, synthetic colors and fragrance, PEGs, mineral oils, propylene glycoli, silicones, and EDTA Cinnamate. I don’t know what half of those are, but the less harmful ingredients in skin care, especially, the better!

I’ll keep using this in my current rotation to see if long-term use will bring about any of the claims the company has made for this product.

bntgirls badge

Visit BNTNews for the latest Korean news and trends:
Official Page
Tumblr
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter: @officialbntnews

* This item was provided for review. All opinions are my own.

Follow me: Bloglovin’ • Twitter • Instagram • YouTube • Facebook

Verikos Deep Cleansing Oil Balm*

Published by

Verikos Deep Cleansing Oil Balm

Another item in this month’s BNT Box is the Verikos Deep Cleansing Oil Balm* which I did not have very high hopes for. I can’t tell you why, but it was met with kind of a weird, unexciting feeling… At least, initially. I ate all of my “weird, unexciting feelings” after I tried it. I ate all of them!

Ahem.

The Verikos Deep Cleansing Oil Balm is an “easy make-up deep cleanser of Oil Balm type” that claims to “deep cleanse pores” and “exfoliate” sensitive skin types. Most of the information on the box is in Korean, but I know that it is mainly comprised of Canola Oil, and contains plant extracts and aroma oil. Also, it is a “5-free formula,” meaning it has no parabens, artificial dyes, mineral oil, alcohol, and synthetic perfume.

Verikos Deep Cleansing Oil Balm - Inner Tub

Product Description: “As an oil-free cleansing balm, it thoroughly removes any contaminants and waste stored deep down in pores caused by air pollution. All those organic ingredients in the balm with nettle extract added would dissolve aged skin cells to make your skin clear and bright. Seven plant extracts in the balm protect skin from any unpleasant troubles while it adds luminosity to skin.”

Well, the first sentence makes me feel like I have troughs of grime and dirt that go deep into my skin. Other than that, I deeply appreciate the addition of beneficial ingredients to what is essentially a makeup remover.

Verikos Deep Cleansing Oil Balm - Product

The balm itself is sort of a solid balm, with the product melting at the warmth of your finger’s touch. It’s fairly easy to put on and acts mostly like your standard cleansing oil: apply on dry face with dry hands, and work it into your makeup. Emulsify the product with wet hands before cleansing all of it off with warm water.

And you know what? It worked like a charm!

I haven’t been wearing a lot of base makeup, but what I always have trouble removing was eye makeup anyway. This took all of my makeup off, and didn’t cause blurriness in my vision, as cleansing oils usually do. This didn’t leave any residual oiliness, either, which was a pleasant surprise.

There is something oily in the smell, though. It’s mostly subtly floral, but I can smell a hint of oil in it, which I can’t really fault it for, since it’s mostly made up of canola oil.

All in all, this is a win for me!

bntgirls badge

Visit BNTNews for the latest Korean news and trends:
Official Page
Tumblr
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter: @officialbntnews

* This item was provided for review. All opinions are my own.

Follow me: Bloglovin' • Twitter • Instagram • YouTube • Facebook

Stylenanda 3CE Under Eye Flash in #6 African Sunset*

Published by

Stylenanda 3CE - Under Eye Flash - African Sunset

I’m not going to lie—getting 3CE products in these boxes is always my favorite part! 3CE or 3 Concept Eyes is a cosmetics brand by Korean fashion line, Stylenanda. I first heard about them from Wiji, who posted about them nearly a year ago.

There’s something really attractive about their branding and identity, and I think it comes across in their campaigns and their products.

The 3CE Under Eye Flash* is a liner designed to “brighten and add depth to your eyes.” It is long-lasting, and can be used for definition and sparkling complexity.

“EYE FLASH EFFECT”: The name “eye-flash” given to this under-eye makeup is most proper for its soft colors. Retain and brighten up the eyes and adds depth to the eyes for a gorgeous appearance.

“LONG-LASTING WATERPROOF EYE LINER”: This water-proof liner is built to last on both moist and oily lids maintaining a smudge-free, clean, neat look all day long.

“RICHNESS AND DEPTH OF COLOR”: Maintain a sensual color without having to reapply the makeup due to excellent color fixing ability.

“SOFT CREAMY TEXTURE”: Minimized irritation to the eye with its soft, sliding texture most fitting to add depth to your eyes by blending.

I got the shade #6 African Sunset, which they have described as a “burgundy tone fused with brown.” I actually feel like it translates more as a copper on my skin tone.

Stylenanda 3CE - Under Eye Flash - African Sunset - Pencil

The pencil itself is quite short (maybe 2/3 of the MAC Eye Kohl), but it’s retractable and very sleek. I thought it was pretty similar, if a little lighter than my other brown pencils, so I swatched all of them together for comparison:

Stylenanda 3CE - Under Eye Flash - African Sunset - Swatches

#6 African Sunset is much lighter and warmer than the rest of my brown pencils. This makes me feel like it won’t really look right on my lower lid if worn alone. In terms of texture, the 3CE pencil is quite creamy and opaque, comparable to the MAC kohls and the UD 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils. The Rouge Bunny Rouge pencil is perhaps the stiffest and least creamy of the bunch.

3CE Stylenanda Under Eye Flash Face and Eyes - African Sunset

The texture is pretty perfect for use on the delicate and sensitive eye area. Here, I’ve worn it on my lower waterline and lash line, but smudged it out a bit with a chocolate brown shadow from Addiction. I think it’s an interesting color that’s perfect for summer and fall.

I wore this for the whole day and it didn’t budge or smudge, the latter of which happens to me a lot when I wear creamy liners. These retail for $12.11, which is pretty steep for 0.4g of product.

They come in six different shades that are all pretty wearable and lovely, photo from their site:
eh140204-006(7)
The price is a bit high, in my opinion, because the pencil is so small. However, if you are interested in any of the colors (I’m drawn to pretty much all of them, but #1 Romanticism, #2 Pitter Patter, and #4 Brown Sugar, most especially) and can get them with ease, I would definitely recommend them 100%. I’ll be going to Korea in November, and I’ll be sure to pick some of these up.

bntgirls badge

Visit BNTNews for the latest Korean news and trends:
Official Page
Tumblr
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter: @officialbntnews

* This item was provided for review. All opinions are my own.

Follow me: Bloglovin’ • Twitter • Instagram • YouTube • Facebook

Sorabee Balancing Aqua Cream*

Published by

Sorabee Balancing Aqua Cream

As you may have gathered, I just got back from Japan a few days ago. I forgot to say “hi” in my last post, so hi! During my time away, I received the last box from my stint as part of the BNT Girls. I have reviewed the Caolion Pore White Cake Pack* already, and this is another skin care item I got this round.

The Sorabee Balancing Aqua Cream* is part of a wide range offered by the brand. The packaging is all in Korean so a bit of Google-fu was needed. Curiously enough, this products seems to be the most famous product by the brand as it popped up pretty high up in the options by auto-fill.

Here's the product description I found:

  • A luxurious restorative beauty treatment cream formulated with a complex of vitamins to intensively nourish energize and fortify skin in its fight against environmental stress and the visible signs of aging
  • Excellent for all skin types, especially skin suffering from dehydration, dullness or fatigue. Provides intensive nutrients and protects delicate skin area from wrinkles
  • Main Treatment Ingredients of SF Collagen Sea Water and Ocean Spa Plankton Extract helps to keep eyes looking bright and clear whilst ensuring eye contours are free from aging and fine lines

    How To Use: After using Balancing Lotion and Eye Cream apply sufficient amount of Balancing Aqua Cream onto your palm. Massage into skin using gentle circular motions. Water drops penetrate deeply into the skin and and healthy glow is seen.

I had none of the other steps so I just used it after my usual cleansing routine as my moisturizer. The copy has pretty lofty claims, but focusing on the more immediate effects, this is actually pretty good at keeping the skin moist.

Sorabee Balancing Aqua Cream - Product

The product itself starts out pretty milky and mostly opaque. It's a lightweight cream, almost gel-like. It beaks down into tiny water droplets when you start to spread it around:

Sorabee Balancing Aqua Cream - Droplets

Let me just say this was quite pleasant and cool on the face, and the product moisturizes the skin quickly and doesn't leave a sticky residue. I find that Korean skin care often gets this right anyway, so this wasn't a surprise but it was a welcome familiarity.

I don't think it was extremely moisturizing, but my skin is dry in general. It's great for daytime use since it feels so light on the face, but I don't think I can use it as a nighttime treatment.

bntgirls badge

Visit BNTNews for the latest Korean news and trends:
Official Page
Tumblr
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter: @officialbntnews

* This item was provided for review. All opinions are my own.

Caolion Pore White Cake Pack*

Published by

Caolion - Pore White Cake Pack - Tub

The Caolion Pore White Cake Pack* is one of the first things I tried from this month’s BNT Box. I’m a mask nut, so I was so eager to try this out especially after a few days of traveling.

Caolion - Pore White Cake Pack - Cover

“Where is pore?” I thought this was a cute touch, on the lid.

Caolion - Pore White Cake Pack - Inside Tub 2

The product itself is very thick. As you can see, it retains its super cute whipped shape even after traveling in a box from Korea to Manila. The mask is opaque and white, with a bit of grainy bits inside. The smell is quite menthol-y, but not 100% refreshing.

Caolion - Pore White Cake Pack - Inside Tub 1

Near the name of the product, it claims to be “whitening & anti-wrinkle,” but from an online reseller (which is how this seems to be available), here are the product claims:
— Tightening stretched pores
— Cooling off exhausted pores from the heat
— Brightening dark skin tone
— Restoring elasticity on the skin

Caolion - Pore White Cake Pack - Instructions

There wasn’t a lot of English text on the packaging, which is why I appreciated this little diagram. Even if I didn’t know what I put on my face, at least I knew how to apply it!

Caolion - Pore White Cake Pack - Sample

The product is quite paste-like and a bit of a challenge to work into your skin quickly, if you want an even layer of the mask. After waiting 10-15 minutes, you can wash it all off. It was harder than usual to wash off, requiring me to sort of wipe away the product with a wet hand.

The sensation of the mask on the skin is very cooling and quite refreshing. It doesn’t tighten around the skin or dry up the way clay usually does.

Caolion - Pore White Cake Pack - Before
Before the mask application.

Caolion - Pore White Cake Pack - After
After the mask application.

Most of the reviews and websites I’ve seen claim that the effects of this mask should be immediate. I personally didn’t see a lot of change with it in terms of tightening my pores, but I’m a skeptic when it comes to pores and their downsizement. Which is to say I don’t think it’s possible.

The appearance of my pores were greatly camouflaged, I think, and the redness on my face also went away, but I do think that for the most part, my pores are the same size. This is just a great way to make them look less obvious.

Say hello to the bntgirls official badge!

Say hello to the bntgirls official badge!

* PR Sample, part of the BNT Girls program.

Quickie: One Way I Wear a Bold Lip

Published by

FOTD - Lady of the Lake - Face

Whenever I get the urge to wear a bold lip color, I remember to try and keep my face minimal but clean. What do I mean by that?

Well, I mostly use colors and techniques that aren’t bold so that they don’t contend or clash with my already dramatic lip. In this photo, I’m wearing a beautiful, super-opaque vampy red lipstick that has strong purple tones by Addiction called Lady in the Lake.

I left my brows natural and defined, kept my eye makeup neutral and defined, and focused on making my base as flawless and spotless as I could. The cheeks are also quite understated, again so as not to detract from the red lip.

Et voilà! A easy look done with minimal effort, but one that packs a punch and makes a statement.

What’s your favorite way to wear a bold lip?

Follow me: Bloglovin' • Twitter • Instagram • YouTube • Facebook

Swatch Post: NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Kauai

Published by

NARS Duo - Kauai, China Seas - Pans

I mentioned on my Instagram (follow me: @presidents!) a few weeks ago that I had finally gotten NARS Kauai in the mail, after ordering it in January. Kauai is part of their Spring 2014 collection, High Seize, and is the more coveted one of the two duos released.

NARS - Kauai - Swatches - Clear

One side is “gold lame;” the other, “iridescent smokey orchid.” I swiped the leftovers of each shade on top of each other in the third swatch.

To be honest, these shadows are pretty buttery and smooth and all of that, but I’m not sure how I can wear them without looking all blinged out. It’s pretty weird that I actually took to China Seas, essentially a blue and purple duo, a little bit better.

Here’s a fuzzy swatch:

NARS Kauai - Fuzzy Swatches

The gold is kind of… flake-y? It’s pretty, for sure, but it’s a bit messy to use, in my opinion. I have to play around with it more, though. The orchid side is really pretty. You can see the undertones via sparkle in this fuzzy swatch.

NARS Duo - Kauai, China Seas

As of now, I’m not too sure about Kauai, but I’m definitely sold on China Seas. I know just what I’ll be playing with when I get back.

NARS is cruelty-free.

Follow me: Bloglovin' • Twitter • Instagram • YouTube • Facebook