Review: Etude House » Moistfull Collagen Cream, First Essence, & Enriched Cream

May I just mention that Etude House's name was inspired by Chopin? I don't know about you, but to me that's pretty enchanting! Their Moistfull Collagen collection is another reason I love this brand, and as it's one of Etude's most popular lines, I can't wait to tell you about it!

FLASH FACTS
Brand » Etude House
Product » Moistfull Collagen Cream, First Essence, Enriched Cream
Size » 50ml, 100ml, 50ml
Cost » $20 USD each (prices vary)
Website » www.etudehouse.com
Would I purchase the full version? » Yes :)

♡Moistfull Collagen Cream♡

Etude's Description: Fight for dryness!! Firming moisture cream with baobab tree and collagen extract improving your dermal structure leaving tight and moist skin.

The Moistfull Collagen Cream has one of the more interesting scents I've experienced in skincare products. To me, it smells like a combination of orange peels, jasmine, and a hint of allspice. It's a strange mix, but I do enjoy the scent! It isn't strong smelling and it fades as the cream absorbs. This is thick enough that if you turn the container upside down, the cream will stay in place.

The texture is smooth and light, but it isn't watery like some creams. After a minute or so, the cream fully absorbs to leave your skin with a velvety smooth surface. The effects are immediate and leave your skin with a noticeable layer of moisture.

Ingredients: hydrolyzed collagen, water, butylene glycol, cyclopentasiloxane, adansonia digitata fruit extract, glycerin, cyclohexasiloxane, glyceryl polymethacrylate, hydrogenated lecithin, cetearyl alcohol, hydrolyzed adansonia digitata extract, betaine, cetylethylhexanoate, glyceryl stearate, hydrogenated polyisobutene, stearic acid, pca dimethicone, dimethiconol, cyclomethicone, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, silica, dimethicone, polyethylene, sodium polyacrylate, polyglyceryl-3 methylglucose distearate, hydrogenated polydecene, peg/ppg-20/15 dimethicone, phenyl methicone, ethylhexylglycerin, ppg-5-laureth-5, carbomer, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol, fragrance, yellow 5 (ci 19140), red 33 (ci 17200)

♡Moistfull Collagen First Essence♡

Etude's Description: moisturizer maintains 90% of Hydrolyzed Collagen content to tighten and moisturize complexion while strengthening skin structure to prevent aged look.

This is the first step in the 7 part Moistfull Collagen skincare system. The smell is nearly identical to the cream, but I would say it leans more toward a citrusy scent. This glides effortlessly onto the skin in a consistency slightly thicker than water. As the essence is absorbed, the texture turns from watery to something familiar to a lotion, becomes slightly sticky, and finally the stickiness fades completely, leaving your skin looking instantly more youthful and revamped.

This makes me feel as though a layer of clouds has landed on the surface of my skin and are awaiting the arrival of more moisture! It takes around 3 minutes for the first essence to fully absorb. It seems to rest beneath the surface and preps the skin for the addition of another moisturizer to fill in the gaps, but it leaves my skin feeling refreshed and soft from the get-go.

Ingredients: hydrolyzed collagen, alcohol, adansonia digitata fruit extract, hydroxyethylcellulose, butylene glycol, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, benzophenone-5, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol, ci 19140, ci 17200, fragrance

♡Moistfull Collagen Enriched Cream♡

Etude's Description: Enriched texture forms protective, moisture binding barrier to keep skin smooth and soft. Contains baobab tree seed oil for moisture retention and collagen for elasticity care.

The Moistfull Collagen Enriched Cream can be used interchangeably with the regular Cream. The scents are nearly identical, if not the same. The textures are similar as well, but I would say the enriched cream is slightly heavier than the regular cream. "Barrier" is the word to focus on here, as it really does seem to create a shield of moisture on the surface of the skin that the regular cream does not provide. The regular cream does give a layer of moisture, but I would say that the enriched cream is a little more heavy duty and aids more with elasticity. Neither one is better than the other, they are just different in my opinion! The enriched cream takes around 5 minutes to fully absorb.

Ingredients: water, hydrolyzed collagen, glycerin, butylene glycol, hydrogenated polyisobutene, cetyl ethylexanoate, adansonia digitata fruit extract, phytosteryl/behenyl/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate, hydrolized adansonia digitata extract, sodium hyaluronate, glyceryl stearate, cetearyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, ethylhexylglycerin, carbomer, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate copolymer, peg-60 glyceryl isostearate, dimethicone, tromethamine, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol, fragrance

It was only after continued use that I began to see why this collection is loved around the world. To be honest, although my skin did feel moisturized on the first day, I didn't think the Collagen Moistfull Line was all that special right away. However, after a week of applying the first essence, followed by the cream in the morning, and the enriched cream at night as a sleeping pack, I have noticed a huge difference in the quality of my skin!

Even if you don't understand Korean, this video is cute!

My favorite thing about the Moistfull Collagen line is that it has made my skin extremely soft! The shocking thing is the softness actually remains even if I stop using the cream for days! Nothing lasts forever, of course, but I am not used to softness lasting so long from using a product. What's more, I can actually feel that my skin is firmer from the inside out and not just on the surface. These have most certainly helped with elasticity! I have even noticed a slight diminishing of fine lines and tightening of pores. 

I was worried that these creams would be a little too heavy for my combination skin, but I am pleased to say that I have never experienced any negative reactions to these products and recommend them for all skin types. In fact, my skin has been recovering from a string of stress related breakouts and these have helped to speed up the healing process! I've only tried these 3 items from the Moistfull Collagen collection, but I wouldn't doubt the effects are even greater when all 7 steps are used. Overall, these leave my skin looking and feeling much healthier and even give my skin a natural glow!

xo,

Review: Etude House » Goodbye Pore Ever Pore Primer Essence

If you have oily skin like me I'm sure you have searched far and wide for products to help to keep your face from looking irritatingly shiny. Trust me, living in La La Land (LA) has me especially conscious of how well my makeup is faring throughout the day. But, even if you don't live in a world of bright lights, cameras, and actions, the Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever Pore Primer Essence is a great item to keep in your beauty stash!

FLASH FACTS
Brand » Etude House
Product » Goodbye Pore Ever Pore Primer Essence
Size » 20ml
Cost » $10 USD
Website » www.etudehouse.com
Would I repurchase? » Yes

What Etude House claims: The Goodbye Pore Ever Pore Primer Essence is a moisturizing makeup primer that masks pores to subdue sebum and improve makeup coverage.

What Beautiful Doki Doki Says: I am quite pleased with this primer! It is not a "wow, this changed my life" product, but it does the job! The results are noticeable and it definitely helps to mask enlarged pores and creases. The texture of my skin isn't too terrible to begin with, but this primer helps to smooth out my flaws, especially on the nose area where my skin gets the most oil. In terms of oil control, this noticeably helps to subdue the shine throughout the day. This primer does not get rid of the oil altogether, but my skin is significantly less oily when I apply this primer. Also, my skin remains fresher for longer!

This primer comes out a milky and slick consistency. I would say it is somewhere between a cream and oil in terms of how easily it spreads around. It is off-white in color and has a noticeable fragrance that I can't particularly place, but it does smell soft, clean and fresh! Don't worry, the fragrance does not linger on your face.

Is silicone bad for my skin? The short answer is no! First of all, silicone is commonly used in foundations and makeup primers so it is a little hard to avoid. Silicone is not absorbed into your skin, rather, it fills in pores and fine lines to create the illusion of smooth, flawless skin. On the other hand, some people have problems with silicone because it can trap sebum and bacteria in your pores which can cause breakouts. Other people are simply allergic to silicone, in which case there isn't much you can do.

However, don't be afraid of trying out products containing silicone! You never know what will work for your skin or not unless you try. Personally, I have never had a breakout from using the Goodbye Pore Ever Pore Primer Essence! I always keep my face and hands clean before applying, so just make sure your face is properly cleansed before putting on primers (or anything for that matter!). Overall, I don't find silicones to be a big deal, but remember to find what works best for your individual skin :)

Above is a super close-up of an enlarged pore on my face. The primer doesn't erase flaws completely, but it does help! Plus, no one is actually going to see your skin this close up anyway! haha I also probably wouldn't use this as an all-over-your-face type of primer, especially since the container is kind of small for that type of application. I only use this on my t-zone or on any trouble spots. My makeup does stick well with this primer and it does not dry out or break out my skin. Overall, the Goodbye Pore Ever Primer works as it says, but like I said before it isn't amazing.

Thanks for reading,

Love,

Etude House » I Need You! Sheet Masks: An Intro to Korean Mask Packs

안녕하세요! Hello! This post is dedicated to the skincare junky's most favorite can't-live-without-item: the Korean sheet mask! If you ever wonder how Koreans have such flawless skin then you best start stockpiling these babies right now...like, right now! Okay, I do not recommend hoarding, but having a few of these on hand at all times is sure to brighten your skin as well as your mood.

FLASH FACTS
Brand » Etude House
Product » I Need You! Sheet Masks
Size » 1 sheet, 23ml
Cost » $2 USD each
Website » www.etudehouse.com
Would I purchase again? » Absolutely!

Admittedly, the first time I ever put one of these on I did feel kind of silly. Not to mention, one glance in the mirror said I looked like a total creeper from some low budget indie horror flick. Nonetheless, sheet masks are amazing!! If you've ever seen a K-drama, then odds are you've seen the girls (guys, too!) wearing these at some point and that's because they are HUGE in Korea. Hey, Koreans take pride in their appearance and who can blame them?

Now some of you might be thinking, but what about other sheet masks? Well, of course there are tons of great mask packs out there from other parts of Asia. I actually have never tried a sheet mask that I didn't like, but so far Korean brands have always been my favorite. In particular, Skinfood, Etude House, and Mamonde would probably be my top brand choices for sheet masks, although the list is ever growing as I try out new ones.

Sheet masks contain an enormous variety of ingredients all meant for improving particular skin concerns. Red wine, gold, caviar, and even snail extract (actually very trendy right now) are some that I have tried that might make someone look twice, but I assure you they are wonderful! There are plenty of awesome natural ingredients that come from things other than simply fruits and plants. They are great for skin whitening, tightening, firming, brightening, moisturizing...and the list goes on. Each mask pack is different, so just pick which one is right for you. Personally, I like to have a variety.

In particular, the Etude House I Need You! mask sheets come in 7 different choices:

I Need You, Aloe! Mask Sheet: Essence mask contains moisturizing aloe to prevent acne and soothe skin.

I Need You, Green Tea! Mask Sheet: Essence mask contains green tea extract that soothes & comforts stressed and fatigued skin.

I Need You, Lemon! Mask Sheet: Essence mask contains lemon extract to brighten and clarify skin tone.

I Need You, Royal Jelly! Mask Sheet: Highly nutritional royal jelly restores skin health and soothes the skin after being damaged by pollution, debris and weather. It helps skin to maintain smoothness, softness and luminosity.

I Need You, Red Ginseng! Mask Sheet: 6-year-old red ginseng restores skin strength after being damaged by stress, pollution, debris and weather. It helps skin to maintain firmness and smoothness.

I Need You, Pomegranate! Mask Sheet: Essence mask contains pomegranate additives that nourish for a healthy complexion.

I Need You, Pearl Extract! Mask Sheet: Essence mask contains pearl extract that promotes natural skin glow.

Remember that when you're shopping for sheet masks, price is not an indication of quality! I've tried sheet masks that cost less than a dollar that were just as amazing as others that cost ten dollars each! Like I mentioned before, I've never tried a mask pack I don't like!

In general, most sheet masks are to be worn for about 15-30 mins. I've left them on longer before as they are ultra pampering. Some are clearly scented while others don't contain much of a smell. No matter what, my skin always feels much more relaxed, moisturized, and healthy after using these!

Creeper? Maybe. Happy skin? Absolutely! Lol

Beautiful Doki Doki's Tips: 

1» The best time to wear your sheet mask is just after using a peeling cream or gel like this one. Why?Your skin absorbs the mask essence better without all those dead skin cells in the way. However, while sheet masks can be worn every day, a peeling cream should only be used 2-3 times per week.

2» Place your sheet mask in the fridge for about twenty minutes before application if you want an extra cooling sensation!

3» Sheet masks are an ultra stress reducer! They are great for relaxing and extremely therapeutic!

4» Use any extra essence left in the packet and pat it onto your neck. It will help prevent wrinkles!

Thanks for reading, have a lovely day!

xo,

Body: Etude House » Milk Talk Choco Body Wash Mini Review

I'll admit it. Chocolate is one of my weaknesses. It took about two seconds for me to get excited over the fact that Etude House chose chocolate milk as one of the scents for their Milk Talk Body Wash line. I am unlucky enough, though, to live in a city that doesn't have an Etude House store and despite the cute packaging I couldn't bring myself to purchase this body wash online without first knowing what it truly smelled like. So, you can imagine how I couldn't wait to try this when I received a sample!

FLASH FACTS
Brand » Etude House
Product » Milk Talk Body Wash (chocolate milk)
Size » 200ml
Cost » $10 USD
Website » www.etudehouse.com
Would I purchase the full product? » Yes, but just for fun!

The Milk Talk Choco Body Wash smells just like hot chocolate and I couldn't help but wish that it was the middle of winter when I opened the package. There is something so comforting at the thought of cozying up with a steaming cup of hot chocolate as snowflakes drift lazily outside your window. And that's exactly what the smell reminds me of!

With a name like milk talk, I was rather surprised that the body wash isn't more of a creamy texture and is rather quite watery. As it is so fluid it was difficult to get it to foam properly and that left me wishing I had more than the sample size to spread around. There is a matching chocolate themed sponge you can purchase additionally and I think this might be a necessary add on to create enough foam.

The milk talk line is formulated with milk protein extract and is supposed to leave your skin feeling smooth, elastic, and moisturized. On a first use I would say my skin felt slightly moist, but it wasn't very noticeable. Perhaps with consistent use there would be more of a difference, but it doesn't seem to do a whole lot. It is certainly not one of those instantly refreshing body washes, but if you love chocolate the smell alone might be a reason to buy.

One last note about the smell; it doesn't last long! Right as I dried off with my towel the smell faded away. Some might find this disappointing, but I kind of like not having to smell like chocolate all day long. That way the smell won't clash with my normal perfume and won't leave me craving chocolate bars for hours on end. If this item ends up in my online shopping cart it will be purely for the fun of it and not really purchased for the purpose of skincare. Also, as it is summertime and way too hot to think about hot chocolate, I'll hold off on getting this body wash until the wintertime.

Love,

Review: Etude House » Mint Cooling Eye's Cream

Sometimes, I wish western packaging was this clever. The Mint Cooling "Ice" Cream from Etude House comes in a kawaii little box with an ice cream cone cutout displaying the cream stick inside. I got this cream to help combat my dark circles, as we all know how annoying those can be!

FLASH FACTS
Brand » Etude House
Product » Mint Cooling Eye's Cream
Size » 6.5g
Cost » $10 USD
Website » www.etudehouse.com
Would I repurchase? » Undecided

The Mint Cooling Eye's Cream comes with two protective caps and twists up just like a lip balm. I was a little surprised to find that the cream smells nothing of mint. Rather, it has a subtle and perfumed, perhaps floral scent. This eye cream is supposed to help lessen dark circles and puffiness around the eyes with a cooling and soothing sensation. I was really excited when I discovered this cream not only because I love Etude House, but also because it doesn't cost a fortune as most eye creams do!

What I like: I've been using the Mint Cooling Eye's Cream for about a month now and it has definitely helped to relieve the puffiness around my eyes. I don't always have puffy eyes, but on those days where I haven't gotten much sleep or for whatever reason my eyes are feeling really tired it has been especially soothing. I like the idea of having extra sun protection for this delicate skin area, so it's a plus that this eye cream contains SPF30 PA++. The blue color of the cream helps a little to brighten your under eye area as well, which helps slightly with hiding the dark circles. It is also decently moisturizing and works great as a primer.

What I don't like: The cooling sensation is at times hardly noticeable. I won't deny that it is comforting, but the sensation only lasts a couple seconds and isn't very strong. The main reason that I got this cream is that I was hoping it would help to get rid of (or at least noticeably diminish) my dark circles. However, after a month I really haven't noticed much of a difference, if at all. 

If you are looking for an eye cream that relieves puffiness, the Mint Cooling Eye's Cream might be the one for you, but for those of us who struggle with dark circles you might want to look elsewhere. I am going to keep using this eye cream in case it takes longer to work, but with over a month of no real changes the outlook seems grim. Overall, I do like this eye cream for the soothing factor and if I did repurchase it it would be simply for the puffiness control, but I feel like there is probably something better out there. I'm also curious about this cream's twin product, the Vanilla Moist Eye's Cream, and wonder if they might work best as a pair.

Love,

P. S. What's your favorite eye cream?

Mini Haul: Etude House and Tonymoly

Sometimes you just need to do something nice for yourself. And with some online shopping a couple weeks ago I did just that. I picked up some fun items from two brands I love: Tonymoly and Etude House! This time I placed an order through Amazon and my package arrived just in time for the weekend!

The first item in my cart was the Petite Bunny Gloss Bar in Juicy Grape from Tonymoly. I believe there are nine colors to choose from and each of the nine little colored bunnies wears a different expression which I think is a really neat detail. I chose Juicy Grape because I was lacking that shade of lip gloss. It smells like yummy grape candy and goes on pretty sheer. There is only a slight hint of color, which I'll admit was a little disappointing, but it does make your lips feel incredibly smooth and moisturized!

The second item I couldn't resist is the Kakapo version of Etude House's Missing U I Can Fly Hand Cream. It is an item that I essentially don't really need, but the packaging is so kawaii I really wanted to make a home for it on my shelf! This hand cream smells like sweet apple candy and does a good job at keeping my hands moisturized throughout the day. It probably isn't the best hand cream that I've ever tried, but it is paraben, sulfate, ethanol, and mineral oil free! It contains ingredients such as aloe, lavender, shea butter, centella, lemon verbena, and marshmallow root which create a luxurious combo for the skin.

There are 4 in total: Kakapo (Sunny Sunny Apple), Eastern Grass Owl (Peach Peach Peach), Eagle Owl (Very Berry Cherry), and Cerulean Warbler (Sweet Cotton Candy). Also, Etude House donates a portion of the profits from this collection to help save the endangered birds they represent! And the bird house package is even made from 100% recycle paper! Definitely a bonus reason to buy!

The next two items that came in my order aren't quite as cute, but I'm still just as happy with them. I'm certainly fond of the Tear Drop Liner #4 Sunlight from Etude House. I use this eyeliner to add a beautiful shimmer to the inner corners of my eyes. I used to do the same thing with sparkly eyeshadow, but this product does a much better job! It looks so pretty when I'm wearing it! You have to be careful not to scoop up too much on the brush or it can get a tad messy, but other than that I love it.

The last item is a cream eyeshadow from Etude House. The Look At My Eyes Icing in #BR401 Caramel Icing has a delectable name and as I am a fan of neutral colors it was the last item in my cart. I use a brush to apply it and the color adds a subtle shimmer to the lid. If you apply too much it will sink into any creases which tends to be annoying, but most cream shadows I've tried have this outcome. However, if you apply the right amount I haven't had this happen and it's lasted throughout the day.

(1) Petite Bunny Gloss Bar (2) Missing U Hand Cream (3) Tear Drop Eyeliner (4) Look At My Eyes Icing

Thank you for reading!

Love,

Haul: Etude House Sweet Recipe

I have to start out by saying that I absolutely love the Sweet Recipe collection from Etude House! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ* I won't lie, my initial interest in their spring collection was sparked by the adorable packaging (not to mention the members of the k-pop boy band Shinee are some of the faces behind the brand). However, don't be fooled into thinking the cute packaging is all there is to these products; these are truly awesome cosmetics!

I picked up plenty of goodies with this haul, but I wish I could have purchased the entire spring line! If the name isn't enough of a hint, the line is designed around candy, cupcakes, and cuteness. As an introduction, take a look at the commercial for their Dear My Jelly Lips Talk, that features Shinee and models Krystal and Sulli:

The first two items that I picked up with my order are the Sweet Recipe Cupcake Eyes in Blueberry&Strawberry and the Sweet Recipe Cupcake All Over Color in Peach Sugar Cake which both come in adorable cupcake tins. Etude House is a Korean brand and I feel that this line fits well with the makeup trend there. Young Korean girls typically do not where heavy makeup on the eyes and go for a natural looking face. That being said, the Cupcake Eyes duo that I tried is very light, so those looking for an intense eye makeup won't get that with this product. However, the color is actually quite pretty and has a slight shimmer in the right light. I also love the way the purple brings out the green in my eyes!

As for the Cupcake All Over Color in Peach Sugar Cake, it smells absolutely amazing! As if the products didn't look good enough to eat, they smell that way as well! This one smells just as the name describes: very peachy, sweet, and delicious. You can use this one on the cheeks, lips, and eyes!

The Sweet Recipe Cupcake Eyes baked shadow duos come in five different color combos, same as the Cupcake All Over Color! I personally would love to add the Cupcake Eyes in Maple&Choco and basically all of the Cupcake All Over Colors to my collection.

Although nail polish isn't at the top of my list when online shopping, I couldn't resist adding two of the Ice Cream Nails limited edition colors to my cart. These come in four different colors and I chose #3 Apricot Candy and #4 Strawberry candy. I love the Strawberry Candy, but for some reason the Apricot Candy just isn't the color I wanted it to be. It looks the same as it does in pictures, but I had imagined it being a darker orange color...don't ask me why. However, the glitters in both colors are very appealing and I think Etude House did a great job matching them with their base colors.

The last two items in my order were the Dear My Jelly Lips Talk in JPK004 and the Candy Stick Lips Tint Gloss #2 Orange. They both smell divine! The Dear My Jelly Lips Talk smells just like a jelly bean and adds a sleek shine to your lips. The Candy Stick Lips Tint Gloss smells like some sort of yummy orange candy and doesn't color your lips orange, but rather more of a dark fuchsia! (To be honest, the Candy Stick Lips Tint Gloss smells so good it makes me want to eat it...literally, but no I haven't tried it and don't advise anyone to haha). Plus, they both feel very moisturizing!

I tried to make the swatches remain true to color in this pic which in turn ended with my hand looking a little too pink. Keep in mind that the colors are more noticeable in person, especially number 4, trust me. Note: you can add on more layers to each of these to make the colors pop.

Other Sweet Recipe items I didn't pick up with this order, but wish I had:

Lastly, I'd like to make a special shout out to KollectionK! I received my entire Sweet Recipe haul from their website in a short 2 weeks. They carry some other great Korean cosmetic brands, along with kpop CDs and merchandise! Unfortunately, there are no Etude House stores in the US...((╥﹏╥)terribly sad), but KollectionK did a great job at getting my order to me. Plus, they gave me a great sample kit that came with some items from Etude House's Moistfull Collagen line, which I will do a mini review on in a later post!

Website: www.kollectionk.com :)

Thank you for reading!

Love,

P. S. What do you think of the Sweet Recipe line?