Missha Haul

Hi everyone! There are a couple hours left of Christmas (at least in my timezone), and let's face it...as much as giving presents is awesome, there's nothing wrong with treating yourself to a little something either! ;) This year, although I tried my best to avoid the amazing online sales, I really couldn't resist putting a little bit of Missha under my tree.

What I Got:
♡Time Revolution: The First Treatment Essence♡
♡M Perfect Cover BB Cream #13♡
♡Professional Cheek Brush♡
♡Professional Rounding Angle Foundation Brush♡
♡Signature Glam Art Rouge SRD703♡

Where I Got It:
www.misshaus.com

I'm sure many of you have heard of The First Treatment Essence from Missha, because it's a super popular product. It's a copy-cat of the ultra expensive, SK-II's Facial Treatment Essence, but is about a third of the price and comes in a lovely glass bottle. This baby is packed with 80% fermented yeast extract that is meant to combat the signs of aging and even out your skin tone.

I read some reviews that this stuff stinks (literally), but honestly I'm gonna have to say that's false cause it smells good to me! There is a very slight smell of beer (VERY slight), but that's a good thing in my opinion, considering its yeast is derived from the stuff. It sounded way too cool to pass up, and considering Missha's sale knocked down the price to $30 on a normal $50 bottle, it ended up in my cart pretty quickly. So far, I'm loving it (review to come).

The M Perfect Cover BB Cream is another one of Missha's bestsellers, and most people either love it or hate it. I was really shocked that Missha was giving a FULL SIZE product away by signing up to their email list, but it's true, and it's pretty dang awesome. You better be pale though, because they're only giving out NO.13. It's perfect for me luckily, since I'm something reminiscent of a vampire (okay maybe not THAT bad, but still). I'm not sure how long they're doing this promo though...so...

I love these brushes. The gold is really beautiful and the wide handles make them comfortable in your hand. Not much else to say about these, they're super soft and the quality is on the plus side. So far no bristles have fallen out, but we'll see how they hold up to the test of time!

I feel like every girl needs some red lipstick. And this particular lipstick I'd want to buy for the beautiful packaging alone. Missha really got it right with this one. The color is a rich red, ever so slightly shimmery and sophisticated. I'm definitely wearing this out New Years eve to take in 2014 in style! lol

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

xo,

Review: The Face Shop » Face it Power Perfection BB Cream

I don't know why, but I just really love base products and sometimes I get more excited about them than I probably should. Despite the CC craze I opted to pick up the FACE it Power Perfection BB Cream from The Face Shop on my last visit. Despite the price tag, I am not only thrilled with the packaging because purple is my power color, but I also love this BB as well!

FLASH FACTS
Brand » The Face Shop
Product » FACE it Power Perfection BB Cream in no. 01 Light Beige
Size » 40g
Cost » $40 USD in store
Website » www.thefaceshop.com
Would I repurchase? » Yes!

This BB comes in a sturdy and shiny, sealed, plastic pump container. The packaging gets an A+ from me because it's quite hygienic and the cap also allows it to stand up and be displayed prettily on your countertop without it constantly tumbling over. I have been using this for months now and even dropped it a few times, but I have never had a problem with the pump.

The Power Perfection BB comes in two different shades, but I chose the lighter of the two as my skin is naturally pretty pale. This BB Cream definitely aims for a more porcelain doll look, so if you are trying to tan it up I definitely would not go for this one. I avoid tanning and embrace the natural look of my light skin so this one was pretty perfect for me. By the way, it contains SPF37/PA++ and is meant for wrinkle improvement, whitening, and sun protection.

The Face Shop's description? Containing omega-3 and the Vita-skin Complex, the cream enables the skin tone to appear moisturized and radiant with with a smoother skin texture. With an airy touch formula, it adheres in a thin layer as light as air yet flawlessly covers skin blemishes for a lustrous, healthy skin appearance.

I would have to agree that the Power Perfection BB spreads on effortlessly and despite its thin and airy feel actual has pretty heavy coverage. It does not however, flawlessly cover blemishes, but there isn't really such a thing as flawless in my book. With one swipe it will effectively hide any dark spots or acne scarring, but for more obvious blemishes you will still probably need a concealer. Although I don't find layering of this BB all that necessary considering it does a great job with coverage from the get-go, you can build upon it if you want.

The result is a silky finish that is pretty lustrous, but I personally prefer not to wear this BB without a dusting of loose powder on top. I've found that the powder increases wearability by a few hours and creates a wonderful matte look. The only downside? The Power Perfection BB settles into creases around the eyes and mouth (so don't lay it on thick in those areas). I don't have any wrinkles just yet, but I do tend to smile a lot and find myself checking my smile lines throughout the day. Somewhat annoying, but it's the only downfall to this one.

I was worried that after spending the cash, I was going to end up kicking myself when the Power Perfection BB didn't quite live up to my expectations. Luckily, it has certainly performed! It was the most natural looking out of the others I tested in the store and after bringing it home, I am very pleased with the coverage it supplies. I've never had any breakouts from it, although I would not recommend this for those of you with extreme blemishes, as it tends to sting if used on broken skin (the package even advises against it). It doesn't cling to flaky bits and keeps your skin moisturized throughout the day. I'm not sure if it helps with wrinkle improvement, but it certainly helps to even out skin tone.

Long story short? Love it!

xo,

Ingredients: water, titanium dioxide (CI 77891), cyclopentasiloxane, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, phenyl trimethicone, cyclohexasiloxane, butylene glycol, zinc oxide (CI 77947), isododecane, cetyl peg/ppg-10/1 dimethicone, niacinamide, methylpropanediol, butylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, polyglyceryl-4 isostearate, sodium chloride, methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, sodium hyaluronate, portulaca oleracea extract, schinus terebinthifolius seed extract, gynostemma pentaphyllum leaf/stem extract, prunus amygdallus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, plukenetia vollubilis seed oil, hydrogenated polyisobutene, disteardimonium hecterite, sorbitan isostearate, ozonorite, dimethicone, hexyl laurate, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, hydrogenated poly(C6-14 olefin), caprylic/capric glycerides, ethylhexylglycerin, aluminum hydroxide, stearic acid, beeswax, triethoxycaprylsilane, propylene carbonate, xanthan gum, beta-glucan, retinol, linoleic acid, ceramide 3, tocopherol, ascorbic acid, hydrolyzed extensin, raspberry seed oil/tocopheryl succinate aminopropanediol esters, alumina, calcium aluminum borosilicate, adenosine, disodium edta, fragrance(parfum), iron oxides (CI 77492), iron oxides (CI 77491), iron oxides (CI 77499).

Review: Skin79 » Hot Pink Super+ BB Cream

My skin was pretty sad before it met BB Cream, and once I made the switch from foundation I never wanted to go back! BB stands for "blemish balm" or "beblesh balm" and these amazing skincare-conscious creams are made to look natural while simultaneously enhancing the complexion. The best part is that they are packed with plenty of powerful ingredients that rejuvenate and maintain the health of your skin! I can't think of a foundation that does that!

Skin79 is a highly popular cosmetic brand in Korea that is especially known for their BB Creams, and if you've never heard of them you have certainly been missing out! Their Hot Pink Super+ BB Cream is a gem I picked up from a local store here in Los Angeles, but it can be easily purchased online (the time it takes to ship is well worth the wait).

Note: The lettering is slightly scratched on my container, but of course it does not come like this new!

FLASH FACTS

Brand » Skin79
Product » Super+ Hot Pink BB Cream
Size » 40g
Cost » $16-30 USD
Website » www.skin79northamerica.com
Would I repurchase? » Definitely!

HOW TO USE: Pump out an adequate amount and spread all over face with clean fingers (or brush or sponge, however you prefer). Tap onto skin to help with absorption.

The Hot Pink Super+ BB Cream comes in a sturdy hot pink pump container, which I love as it's very hygienic. 40g of product is also a great value as you don't get that much with most foundations. I don't even need to use a full pump to cover my entire face. It has a satin finish which is quite lovely, but if you prefer you can always dust on a little powder. I would say it has medium coverage, which looks very natural on the skin, but you will need a concealer to cover a lot of blemishes. Also, it only comes in one shade, so darker skin tones might run into a problem here.

The first time I put this on, my skin was not only noticeably softer, but it also didn't feel like I was wearing a mask. My skin felt very breathable throughout the day and the softness remained even after removing the product at the end of the night. Even better, I noticed that over time the quality of my skin had improved. Red spots were diminished, I had fewer breakouts, my skin felt firmer, and honestly I know I just said this, but I can't get over how much softer my skin was!

It comes out looking slightly grey, which tends to scare people off, but once it is applied onto the face it oxidizes into a really wonderful shade that matches my skin perfectly. I've also heard complaints in the blogosphere that the grey and pink undertones show up horribly on film and make your face look ghostly. However, I don't agree. I wore this as a stand-in on a professional photo shoot here in LA and my skin in the pictures looked completely normal! The photographer even mentioned how flawless my skin looked!

The Hot Pink BB Cream is great for those with oily skin because it has a good amount of sebum control, but I think any normal skin type can benefit from this product. I have annoyingly oily skin, and although this isn't a miracle product it definitely does help control the oil on my face throughout the day. On some days, I still have to use oil control film once (twice on a bad day), but my skin is noticeably more oily when I'm not wearing this product.

Another great thing about this BB is it contains SPF25 PA++! It won't help you with that tan, but honestly who wants wrinkles when you're old (or even worse when you're young)? Not me! In fact, the Hot Pink BB Cream actually helps with wrinkle improvement and keeps your skin moisturized throughout the day!

NOTABLE INGREDIENTS

Arbutin » helps whiten skin*
Tangerine oil » for lively skin
Phyto-complex » provides nutrition to skin
Adenosine » wrinkle improvement
Ceraminde3 » moisturize skin
Osmopur (sunflower, rice bran, ivy, green tea) » protects skin

*In case this sounds alarming, "whiten" does not mean "bleach" or anything of the sort. It simply means that the product will help diminish redness and imperfections, which in turn makes your skin look more even and bright, or "white". Also, keep in mind that pale skin is often desired and considered beautiful in Asia...probably has something to do with the word choice.

WHERE TO GET IT
- For my LA readers, I picked this up from TOKYO Japanese Lifestyle, a cute little store I'm kind of obsessed with in Burbank (check their website for other locations). It has a small cosmetics section with some pretty great products (mostly from Japan) and the rest of the store is filled with plenty of kawaii products like Hello Kitty and Rilakkuma!
- If you're not near LA, you can always purchase this BB on Skin79's website, or other sites like Amazon or Ebay.

If you're still undecided about what your next BB should be, there is a useful chart from Skin79 on their website that shows what all their BB Creams can do, which you can find here: Which BB is best for me?

Although I personally prefer this to foundation, it might not work that way for you. Did I mention it only comes in one shade? However, BB Creams, including this one, also work great as makeup primers and can be applied before your foundation as an added step to your skincare routine. Overall, I am in love with this product and highly recommend the Hot Pink Super+ BB Cream from Skin79, especially if you are new to the BB Cream world!

Love,

P. S. Have you tried any BB Creams from Skin79?