Review: Tonymoly » Red Appletox Honey Cream

Yet another adorable apple from the Korean brand TonyMoly! Their Red Appletox Honey Cream comes in a kawaii red plastic apple shaped container that is quite similar to their Appletox Peeling Massage Cream, which I've also reviewed here. The containers might be similar, but the Red Appletox is an entirely different product! The Honey Cream is an excellent moisturizing cream perfect for morning or night that I'm so happy I found!

FLASH FACTS
Brand » TonyMoly
Product » Red Appletox Honey Cream
Size » 80ml
Cost » $10 USD
Website » www.etonymoly.com
Would I repurchase? » Yes, yes, yes!

Although I have an obsession with cute packaging, I totally understand the hesitation that some people might have that the product inside isn't actually good and the packaging is just a trick to get you to buy. However, adorable packaging aside, the Red Appletox Honey Cream is a truly wonderful moisturizer! The cream itself is definitely not as thick as our normal idea of a facial cream and I would describe it as being a little...juicy, or more of a gel cream. It smells just like a fresh tart apple with a hint of honey, which I love.

The top screws off to reveal a tiny spatula used for dipping into the cream and a plastic lid to help keep the cream from spilling over the edge and also to keep dust and germs out! The cream actually pours quite easily and you only need to dip the spatula to provide enough cream for your entire face! Perhaps if your face was extremely dry it might requiring scooping, but I've always found that to be way too much.

Notable Ingredients:
Manuka Honey Extract » from the wild trees of New Zealand. Antibacterial and immunity effect.
Royal Jelly Extract » cools down skin troubles.
Black Honey » rich in minerals and amino acid. Moisturizes and nourishes.
Apple Acid » smooths skin.
Propolis » provides antioxidants.

How to use: Apply an adequate amount day or night after cleansing. Gently pat your face to help the product absorb. Use 1-3 times a week.

Although it says to use 1-3 times a week, I have used this every night for weeks in a row and have never experienced any irritation with my skin. I think you need to get a feel for your own skin and if it is screaming for moisture I don't see a problem using it every night/day, although a couple times a week works great too! I personally only use this cream at night, because I use my Hadalabo during the day, but I honestly really love it as a sleeping moisturizer. The cream is supposed to increase elasticity, and I would agree that the Red Appletox Honey Cream certainly performs. Every morning I wake up after using this, my face feels softer and firmer!

The Red Appletox Honey cream is immediately soothing. I've used this when my face felt irritated or flushed and when I apply the cream it has an instant calming effect. The texture is different from most creams, but I find it light and comforting. Even though I don't use this in my morning routine, I think the texture would be great for use under your base makeup! The Red Appletox Honey Cream has worked well for me both when my skin was looking flawless and when my skin felt sensitive or irritated. Those with acne might also find this cream to be beneficial as honey naturally contains antibacterial properties, which I feel adds to its calming effect.

The only downside to this cream is that it didn't come with a full ingredient list. I've been searching for one and if I come across it I will update this post.

I think the Red Appletox Honey Cream is perfect for any skin type and has worked especially well for my combination skin. I'm surprised that the price isn't higher, but even if it cost more I would probably still buy it again. I don't wake up with my skin feeling oily and I've never had any breakouts from this cream. If you're looking for a moisturizing cream that is both comforting and gentle I would certainly consider this one. This little red apple is Beautiful Doki Doki approved!

Love,

First Look: Tonymoly » Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream

First off, I'd like to say that this is not a full review of this product. It's simply my initial thoughts on it as I have only tried samples. The photo above is from the Tonymoly website. The photos below are the size of the samples I've tried.

That being said, I'm sure many of you are already familiar with CC creams, the sort of "advanced" versions of BB creams, as you will. They've been extremely popular in the blogosphere as of late and I've also heard that CC creams are pretty famous in Korea right now!

From my understanding, CC creams are quite similar to BB creams except that they offer less coverage, but are packed with more skincare benefits. In my opinion, as long as I have my BB cream I don't feel that a CC cream is absolutely necessary (which is why I still haven't purchased the full version), but would be great for use on those days where your skin is looking particularly flawless.

FLASH FACTS
Brand » Tonymoly
Product » Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream
Size » 50 ml
Cost » $13.99 to $18.99 USD
Website » www.etonymoly.com
Would I purchase the full version? » Maybe...

This is my skin on a pretty bad day. As you can tell, I have a lot of dark spots from a recent outbreak and my dark circles are looking pretty bad (っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ

On the bright side, my skin being so horrible today means I could get a pretty good test out of this CC cream!

The Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream from Tonymoly is pretty watery compared to the BB creams I've tried. It spreads quite easily on my face (in a good way) and feels slightly cool when you first put it on. It has pink undertones and a satin finish and only comes in one shade. It smells really good, too!

The Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream comes out white and "color changes" to beige. It takes several minutes for this baby to oxidize on the face, and probably isn't suitable for quick touch ups.

What I like:
This CC Cream keeps my skin extremely moisturized throughout the day. My skin also feels firmer when it's applied. It contains SPF 30 PA++! It evens out my skin tone and smoothens out my pores. My skin looks brighter and feels firmer all day.

What I don't like:
You can't tell so much in the photo, but I felt a little like a ghost when I first put this on. Even though the cream changes to a beige color it still seems too white on my face, and I have pretty pale skin to begin with. This CC cream creases easily and makes my face feel sticky the entire day! It has been pretty hot in Cali lately and that might be why, so I'm curious to see how this product fares in colder weather. It definitely does not cover all of my flaws or dark circles. I can't necessarily blame it for that as it is supposed to be light coverage, but I would probably use this as a primer instead of a replacement for BB cream.

I have not ruled out adding a CC Cream to my collection, but I think I might try Etude House's or The Face Shop's version before I make my purchase.

I'll leave you with a commercial for Tonymoly's Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream simply because the kpop band JYJ is in it! Kim Jaejoong is such a hottie (clearly he's my favorite member)!

Love,

P. S. How do you feel about CC creams?

Review: Tonymoly » Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream

Tonymoly's Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream is one that I truly recommend. Now, in case you don't know what a peeling cream is, it is a skincare product that exfoliates your skin by gently removing dead skin cells. Awesome, right? This peeling cream is a nifty and wonderful product that comes in the most adorable apple container (by the way, if you can't tell by now, I love apples)!

FLASH FACTS

Brand » Tonymoly

Product » Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream

Size » 80g

Cost » $10 USD

Website » www.etonymoly.com

Would I repurchase? » Yes

The Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream contains a slew of ingredients that help exfoliate and maintain skin's natural brightness and firmness. Here are a few:

• Green apple extract » An antioxidant and natural source of Malic Acid, a hydroxy acid.
• Vitamins A, B1, B6, and C » Brightens and firms.
• AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) » Loosens bind between skin and dead cells.

The product inside is creamy and smooth in texture. It feels great when I massage it on my face. Also, maybe I'm weird, but I think it's also kind of fun to use! Plus, it smells like fresh apples! Yum!

The container unscrews to reveal a small plastic lid that simply lifts off. Don't throw this away because it helps to keep dust and whatever else from falling into the cream. The container is pretty hygienic for the most part, which is a must for me, but what I think is lacking is a tiny spatula to scoop out the product. Even with freshly washed hands I don't like the idea of dipping my fingers straight into the product for application (ew, germs). I actually use a spatula from a completely different product to do the job.

How to use: After cleansing, apply generously to dry areas all over the face, avoiding eye and mouth area. Gently massage for 1 to 2 minutes and leave for 30 seconds. Gently rub your face in a circular motion and wash off with lukewarm water.

Note: You only need to use this 2 to 3 times a week. You don't want to overdo it!

These little clumps are actually the dead skin cells. Gross, I know, but effective!

I honestly think that the Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream does just what it claims. It removes my dead skin which results in my face being incredibly soft! I have never had any breakouts or irritations from using this product. I feel that sensitive skin types would be fine to try this also.

One of the perfect times to use the Appletox cream is right before you apply your face mask, as removing the dead skin cells allows for better absorption of the mask essence. Also, for 10 bucks (I actually bought mine for less on Ebay) this product really is a steal!

Love,

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,