REVIEW: Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Primer

First of all, I hope everyone had a lovely christmas! I'm finally reviewing Innisfree's No-Sebum Mineral Primer, after much delay. I've had it for a while now so I think it's safe to say I know how I feel about this product. I hadn't used a Korean primer before and I had read some good reviews about Innisfree's No-Sebum line and the primer itself, so I thought I'd give it a go. According to the packaging,

"This sebum controlling primer smoothly refines pores and fine lines as it presents you with a shine-free complexion".

Ever since I started wearing primer under my make-up, I've truly appreciated its purpose and I've never gone back. I've actually forgotten to wear primer countless times by accident, then I've gone to check my face afterwards and realised how patchy my make-up up looks. But by then, it's too late to start over. The moral of this? Primer makes a difference.



The product itself comes in a squeeze tube as pictured, with a little nozzle ideal for controlling the amount of product that comes out. You get 25ml of product, which is quite reasonable honestly since you don't need very much for every application. Forgive my fail attempt at focussing, I didn't realise until I uploaded the photos ㅠㅠ


The actual primer itself is clear and easy blend, leaving a nice satin-like finish much like your typical silicone based primer. I couldn't find the ingredients written anywhere, unless it's the bunch of Korean written on the packaging, that I can't understand #fail.

Directions are as follows: "After your daily skincare routine, apply an appropriate amount and lightly spread onto areas where excess shine is a concern and gently pat to finish."


Probably not the best comparison picture, but you can tell that the primer took away the shine and the fine lines are slightly blurred compared to the side that has no primer. As for smell, it reminds me of the glue sticks you use in school. It doesn't bother me at all though, since the smell disappears after application.

Conclusion:
If anything, I think it's quite comparable to Maybelline's Baby Skin Pore Eraser, which I also use from time to time. Both leave a satin-like finish and the texture is very silicone-like. Having a very oily/combination skin type, I can't say that it leaves me totally matte for a prolonged period of time, but it definitely does it's job in smoothing out the texture of my skin and makes my make-up glide on much smoother. I can say that it does leave me looking less shiny than I normally would be without primer, though I can't say much about it's lasting power given that I get so ridiculously oily. From my experience though, primer is definitely a necessity for me and anyone else who wants their make-up lasting longer and looking flawless. Perhaps not the best primer in my opinion, but still recommendable ^^

PROS:
- Gets rid of shine and excess oil
- Helps make-up glide on smoother
- Leaves skin looking matte for a while

CONS:
- Questionable lasting power (Obviously varies on skin type)

Would you repurchase?
Yes, probably. It's a nice cheap alternative that definitely serves some benefits to your make-up. I would like to venture out and try other Korean primers though, in order to compare.

I'm Still Alive

Cue Big Bang's "Still Alive" (VIP, anyone?)

I feel like I've almost abandoned this blog. I don't really have an excuse for not updating to be honest, other than my utter laziness. I did have a landslide of assignments to worry about and end of year exams to study for ㅠㅠ It's all over now though, thankfully. I've officially completed my first year of university, amen! It's surreal just how fast this whole year went by, and I say that every year.

It's weird, I feel more compelled to do things during the school year. Some part of me finds it perfectly logical to catch up on my dramas during exam period. The logic is there somewhere, um. Now that I'm free though, I hope I can at least get some things done since I've had no luck in getting a job. I was honestly hesitant on continuing this blog, but I thought I'd just see how it goes.

REVIEW: SKINFOOD Royal Honey Hydro Cream

This time I'll be reviewing SKINFOOD's Royal Honey Hydro Cream. I've been using it for just under a month in conjunction with the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum, which I previously reviewed. This product is "a hydrating treatment cream with royal black honey and royal jelly extracts that replenishes moisture and transforms skin into a nice honey-glazed complexion", according to the SKINFOOD website.

I was initially on the hunt for a good hydrating cream that I could use specifically at night, since I typically like to use more moisturising products for when I sleep. Since it was coming to the end of winter in Australia, my skin was suffering from a lack of moisture. Despite producing a lot of oil on my face, my skin still felt a lot more tight due it being so dry. The struggles of a person with combination skin, sigh.

After doing a bit of research, I came across this page which shows a list of the supposedly best Korean moisturisers in winter 2013. I actually went on to research all products on the list but being the cheapo I am, I went for the SKINFOOD cream since I found it to be the cheapest.


Unfortunately, my order didn't come in its packaging so it was just bubble wrapped when I received it. That was a bit of a let down. The cream itself comes in a thick glass jar with a cute gold lid. The glass is so thick and sturdy that you wouldn't even have to worry about dropping it. When you open it, it comes with a small plastic barrier to keep germs and all things nasty out of the actual product, which I can appreciate. You get 55g of product, which I think is quite alright since a little goes a long way.



The label at the back of jar can be peeled to reveal the ingredients

While the bottom part of the jar is all in Korean, it can also be peeled to reveal the general product information. It basically has everything that's written on the SKINFOOD website, but also gives you directions on how to use it. Not entirely sure why they say "pumps" when it's obviously in a jar. I've learnt to just accept Korean engrish though, so...

How to use: "After essence or emulsion application, dispense a few pumps and smooth over the entire face."


The texture of the cream itself is rather thick and jelly-like. It's insanely smooth when you put it on and spreads really nicely, so you don't need very much of it to cover your entire face. I normally dab 5 small dots onto my face (forehead, nose, chin and cheeks) and apply some onto my neck. I also enjoy the finish it gives. It dries semi-matte and leaves your skin feeling like skin, but better. Since the texture is almost like a gel, it doesn't feel greasy at all and penetrates the skin without leaving a layer of oil. Combination or oily skin sistas can appreciate this, I promise. It does feel somewhat sticky when you first apply it, but goes away after you let it settle. I can't personally comment if it would be good for day use under makeup since I only wear it at night, but I assume it would be fine.

Judging by the name of it, I initially thought it would smell like honey. While it doesn't smell bad, it's as if they tried to make it smell like honey but didn't quite succeed. It's something I'd expect to smell if I were walking through a garden of flowers. I'm not sure how that helps, but it's sweet and not too overwhelming. The scent doesn't linger for very long after it's applied so no worries there.

Conclusion:
I really like this product overall, it hasn't made me breakout and I enjoy the way my skin feels after using it. I find it especially great for my combination skin, probably due to it's jelly-like formula. It gives a great amount of moisture without feeling heavy or oily, and leaves my skin feeling like I just sculled a whole glass of water. I also like the fact that it spreads so easily and feels smooth when applied. Despite that, I find that while it gives an adequate amount of moisture at night, it does wear off a bit in the morning which you can expect from most creams. It may however just be that it's not specifically made for night, so I'm not going to be harsh based on that alone. I think it's a good product and definitely worth the try if you're looking for something light but hydrating.

PROS
- Quite moisturising
- Feels light
- Application is smooth
- Spreads easily
- No oily residue
- A little goes a long way

CONS
- Wears off a bit in the morning
- May or may not be too heavy for those in warmer climates

Would you repurchase?
I think I would, one day. While I would definitely come back to it, I'd like to see what else there is to offer in order to compare and see what I like best or works well for me.

REVIEW: Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum

You'll have to bare with me since it's my first review. Things can only get better, right?
Today I'll be reviewing Innisfree's Green Tea Seed Serum. I actually received it just under a month ago so I've been using it ever since then, but only now have I had the time to write a review. After hearing so many good things about it, it was meejmuse that got me sold. Taken from the Innisfree website itself, this serum is "a moisturizing & nourishing serum with organic green tea seeds from Jeju to fill the skin with suppleness and clarity". It's one of Innisfree's best sellers and just one from the many products in their green tea line.


If you know me, you'll know that I love anything and everything green tea. This therefore caught my eye for obvious reasons. I had never actually tried a face serum before since I've never really thought much about it, so this was a first for me. Winter may have just ended in Australia, but it still gets pretty chilly in Melbourne now and then which only leads to a dry, patchy face in my case. In other words, moisturiser is my best friend.
I was looking to incorporate a serum into my skincare routine that could give me extra moisture, without leaving me oily. I also wanted something I could use both during the day and at night.

The bottle itself has a pump, which is extremely handy. I know some serums come with eye droppers instead. You get 80ml of product, which in my opinion is really good compared to some serums that only give you half the amount for the same price. The lid is also shaped to fit the bottle nozzle. While this is less bulky, it is pretty difficult to clean if it ever leaks, which happened to me once for some reason, due to the shape of it. Other than that, the bottle is sturdy and not a bad size for travelling.

In terms of texture, it almost looks like goo when pumped out but has a quite watery and slimy consistency when it's spread. This therefore makes application really smooth and I find that I don't need very much to cover my entire face and neck. I use exactly one pump day and night and it seems to do the job. It also leaves a nice finish after applied, due to it's light consistency it dries matte and doesn't look glossy or greasy at all. I instantly notice a difference in the way my skin feels after I apply it.

Okay I'm not going to lie, I freaking love the smell of this stuff. I'd actually wear it as perfume, no joke. You could say it smells like citrus, but sweet and refreshing. It may be a bit too overpowering at first for people who are sensitive with smell, but it doesn't seem to linger after it's applied.

The directions are as shown on the packaging. They even provided a usage order which recommends you to use the serum as the first step to your routine. Since my own routine isn't very complicated, I normally use toner after I wash my face, followed by serum then moisturiser.

By the way, was anyone else aware that you could print with soy milk? I definitely wasn't, um. I know Innisfree is actually know to be an environment-friendly and natural company so I'm not really surprised.

Conclusion:
Overall, I really like this product. I've seen slight improvements in the texture of my skin and it feels and looks a lot more healthier as compared to when my skin was quite dry and dull (No thanks to the cold weather). I think it's quite moisturising for a day serum, but perhaps not as moisturising as I would've liked for night. I normally wear makeup during the day when I go out so it gives the right amount of moisture, but I typically look for something more moisturising for use at night. I honestly think it's a good value for money and you get a lot of product for what you pay.

PROS
- Quite moisturising
- No oily residue
- Light consistency
- Soaks up quickly
- Refreshing scent
- Value for money

CONS
- May not be moisturising enough for night
- Scent may be too strong for some

Would you repurchase?
I definitely would! It's a great serum for during the day and even at night, if you're not looking for something overly hydrating. I personally love the way it smells and you get a lot of product in the bottle. Knowing myself though, I'd really like to venture out and try new and different serums for comparison.

Hi?

It's that awkward first post where you don't know how or where to begin.

I'm Alyssa, often called Aly for short. I'm nineteen years old, currently residing in Melbourne, Australia. I've always been interested in blogging, but never quite got up to creating a proper blog. In other words, I've been really lazy about it all and the thought of having to set up kind of put me off.

Being an avid fan of Asian cosmetics and makeup and skincare in general, I'm always searching for reviews on products I'm considering buying. Yes, I'm that sort of person that literally goes through as many reviews as possible before deciding on a product. Just recently though, it kind of just hit me how often I actually buy online. So since I'm always scrounging around for reviews, I thought it might be fun to make some of my own. To help a sista out?

Anyway, apart from that I thought it'd just be fun to start a little place where I can vent out on when needed. I might suddenly go travelling and decide to blog about it perhaps? Thoughts on music, movies or fashion? We'll see.

You can find me on twitter for those interested. I'm a bit of a fangirl though, so follow with caution. I warned you.
I also run two tumblrs: one for photography and the other for, um, k-pop.
Don't judge me pls