REVIEW: SKINMISO PORE BEAUTY NOSE PACK

Blackheads, whiteheads, enlarged pores all seem to be a major concern for many people, especially with the hot weather and bad pollution!!!

I recently came across this Pore Beauty Nose Pack by Skinmiso (it was inside my Memebox Superbox #11: Before Special Day), and it really is OUR HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT!!! It is a 3-step pore care for those who are struggling with excess sebum and blackheads around the nose.

Inside The Box:

4 x Step 1 Mask: Blackhead & Whitehead Removal Mask

4 x Step 2 Mask : Pore Tightening & Soothing Mask

1 x Step 3: Silky Essence 15ml

Unlike other nose packs, this is not the type that sticks onto your nose and you have to painfully peel off afterwards!

How To Use:

Use on a cleansed face.

Place the Step 1 Mask onto your nose and wait for 10-15 minutes. The mask will give you a cool and refreshing sensation, and it will open up your pores to make the impurities come out easier.
The Step 1 Mask is enriched with various plant extracts to help open up pores :D

Can you see how it is big enough to even fit on a man's nose?! That's awesome!

Remove the Step 1 Mask after 10-15 minutes, and you will see the excess sebum and blackheads gushing out of the enlarged pores!

I was really shocked to see how much of the excess sebum/blackheads that had already floated to the surface of the skin!!!

Gently remove the visible blackheads, whiteheads, or any other impurities clogging your pores using a blackhead extractor. Do the probing in quick motions and avoid harsh dragging or scraping across the skin.

Hubby wasn't very pleased with this step, as it was quite painful, but it wasn't as bad when I changed to use my blackhead extractor instead of his one - the shape matters! The blackheads were also very easy to extract, as they had all floated to the surface of the skin after applying the Step 1 Mask!

Place the Step 2 Nose Mask onto your nose area as you did with the first mask. This Mask will help soothe and tighten up your already enlarged pores. Wait for another 10-15 minutes.
The Step 2 Mask is made from witch hazel extracts, and helps to tighten, soothe, and moisturise :D

Remove the Mask after 10-15 minutes, and you will see that the pores are tightened already! Massage in the remaining essence into the nose, then rub a tiny bit of the Silky Essence over your nose for a silky-matte finish!
The Silky Essence will finish off the process by controlling sebum and oil levels of your skin!

It took us around 30 minutes to finish using the 3-step process, and by the time we finished, hubby was already feeling very sleepy! The good news is, he has a cleaner nose now :D

Before using the pack, I also made hubby use the Multiberry Yogurt Peeling Gel by Laneige, so that it would "soften" his skin and make the pore extracting process easier. I also applied toner to his face before applying the Silky Essence, then I applied his usual essence, serum, and lotion to his face afterwards.

We were very pleased with this product, and we are thinking of repurchasing it already!!! I did a search online, and saw them retailing for approx. US$20.99 for a 10-week pack (I was only give a 4-week pack inside my Memebox).

I recently purchased a 10-week pack from Wishtrend, which also came with a pore extractor (it came in a container too), in which the shape is awesome and it really doesn't hurt as much, for a price of US$29.58...I got free shipping as well as US$9 off using a discount coupon!!
 
If you are interested in this product, you can purchase it from here:
http://www.wishtrend.com/?a_aid=geniesfavproducts


Thank you for reading, and if you have any questions, feel free to comment below!


This post contains affiliate links.

MEMEBOX SUPERBOX #11 UNBOXING

I received my second box from MEMEBOX yesterday...
MEMEBOX SUPERBOX #11: Before Special Day!!!
This time, I paid for normal shipping, and it took 1 week to arrive to my doorstep!!

I will be posting a more detailed post on the items in this box once I start using these products!!

But for now, thank you for watching, and if you have any questions, please feel free to comment below! Have a nice day!!

BEST HYDRATING PRODUCT EVER!!!

Summer is nearly here, and it's really humid and hot outside, and what everyone wants to do is to sit under the air-conditioner all day long, but prolonged stay under the air-conditioner will dry the skin......so here I am to present you with the solution to this:

DOCTORCOS AMINO ACID HYBRID SHEET FREE MASK ADVANCED (version 1)

The Doctorcos Mask is an innovative water-enriched facial treatment that boosts skin's moisture levels by 98.19%, and results can last for more than 24 hours! The moist veil technology restores skin's elasticity and smoothness to give it a velvety, even-textured complexion, and skin instantly appears to be brighter and whiter with weekly use.

Ingredients:

• Amino acids: easily absorbed through the dermal layers, accelerate cell metabolism, enhancing skin's ability to retain moisture
• Hyaluronic Acid: a renowned moisturizing ingredient that efficiently moisturises skin for over 24 hours
• Epidermal growth factor EGF: promotes repair of epidermal tissues, locking in moisture and promoting skin cell regeneration
• Water-soluble vitamins B3: minimise free radical damage and whiten skin by inhibiting formation of melanin
• Royal jelly: a rich blend of proteins that nourish skin and reverse signs of aging like wrinkles and dark spots

You can use the Doctorcos Mask as a...

• Cream: massage onto the face and neck with warm hands to enhance penetration of the ingredients
• Makeup Primer: before applying makeup, spread a thin layer onto the face to allow makeup to adhere to skin better
• Mix with BB Cream/Foundation: blend mask with 4 parts BB cream or 2.5 parts liquid foundation to avoid the cakey look and keep the foundation looking fresh all day
• Sleeping (Overnight) Mask: apply a 2-3mm thick layer onto your face and massage gently, then leave onto your face during the night

This is my favourite product for hydration, and it's really awesome - I have really seen my skin improved after using this product, so I would definitely recommend it to others!!! The only thing I would slightly complain about is that it does not come with a spatula, so it does feel slightly unhygienic to dig my fingers into the pot to get the cream, but other than that, it's AWESOME!!!

Hope you enjoyed watching the video and reading my post, and if you have any questions, please comment below! Have a nice day!

MEMEBOX LUCKYBOX #5 UNBOXING

I'm super excited today, because I just received my FIRST MEMEBOX ~ LUCKYBOX #5!!! I am one of the first people who received it, because being based in Hong Kong, it only took ONE DAY for the Memebox to arrive via Express Shipping!!!

I will be posting a more detailed post on the items in this box once I start using these products!!

But for now, thank you for watching, and if you have any questions, please feel free to comment below! Have a nice day!!

Homemade Strawberry Milk

Seeing how well my Homemade Walnut Milk went, I decided to make my own Strawberry Milk too, using real strawberries!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup of strawberries (fresh or frozen is fine)

- 1/2 cup of sugar

- 1 cup of water

- 4 cups of milk

How To:

1. Wash and dice the strawberries

Tip: soak the strawberries into salt water for 2 minutes to help get rid of the dirty stuff

2. Put the diced strawberries, sugar, and water into a pot, and boil for 10-15 minutes.

3. Pour the strawberry syrup into a container using a sieve or mesh bag (I reused the soup bag that I bought for making my walnut milk), and squeeze out the juice.

4. Voila! There, you'll have your strawberry syrup! You can save the cooked strawberries to add to yoghurt or put on pancakes!

5. Fill 3/4 of a cup of milk, and fill the rest of the cup with your strawberry syrup. How much you add is entirely up to you!

6. Voila! There you have made your homemade strawberry milk!

You can put it in the fridge for up to 3 days!

Now, wasn't that easy? It tastes delicious too!! I wonder if I can try making it with other fruits too? :p

Thank you for reading, and if you have any questions, please comment below!

Have a nice day!!

URBAY DECAY NAKED 3

URBAN DECAY has been around for ages, and it's been highly raved by other bloggers, but I only just managed to get my hands onto their NAKED3 Eyeshadow Palette recently.

I purchased this online for a price of HKD562 (included shipping), and it also came with an eyeshadow primer potion sample (4 colours), which the packaging says that each sample pod holds about a week's worth of primer!

The NAKED3 Palette comes with 12 rose-hued neutrals. There are ultra-smooth mattes, gorgeous pearls, and glimmering metallics, and the shades range from the palest, shimmery pink to the deepest black matte with red micro-glitter. It also comes with a double-ended brush (a smaller brush on one end, and a bigger brush on the other) with really soft bristles.

I have rather fair skin for an Asian girl, and I usually go by very light makeup, so I'm a big fan of the lighter-to-medium colours in the palette. I have never used the darker colours on my eyes yet (though I have tried to mix and match colours on my hands before), as I haven't had the chance (I think I'd only use them when I have heavy makeup on).

MY FIRST SWATCH TEST

I really like how a lot of the colours are glittery, but it also comes with a few matte colours too!


THE SHADES UP CLOSE

Strange - This hardly showed up on my skin, except for making my skin look a little brighter perhaps?

Dust - This is a pinkish glittery kind of colour, and I like to use this to blend with some darker colours!

Burnout - This is another glittery colour that I quite like to use; its colour is browner than Dust, but it's not too dark, so that I can still use it for my light makeup!

Limit - This is a matte colour, and it's good for times when you don't want glitter all over your eyes!

Buzz - This is a similar shade to Limit, but in a glittery version! I quite like using this too!

Trick - This is too orange and glittery for my liking, but it's a nice colour!

Nooner - Another matte colour that I like, though I do prefer Limit more, as that one is more pinkish than brown.

Liar - This colour is similar to Trick yet slightly darker, so it's easier to use as it's not too orangey.

Factory - This is one of my favourites for the "darker" shades of brown in this palette as it's not too dull nor too orange, glittery, and also easy to blend with!

Mugshot - I don't really like this kind of brown, but it's also glittery and easy to blend with other colours.

Darkside - I haven't had a chance to use this one yet, but it's a nice colour still!

Blackheart - This is the deepest black matte with red micro-glitter, and it's also the colour that I would rarely (or never) use, as it's too dark for my liking!


Pros:
- There are so many colours and shades in one palette, very convenient to use as one palette has it all!
- The eyeshadow glides onto my eyelids easily
- Although most of the colours are glittery, there are some matte ones too
- The colours blend in nicely with each other (although it may take some time to figure out which colours match better with others)
- It comes with a full-size brush, not just a travel-sized brush like other palettes!
- The bristles on the brush are very soft

Cons:
- I won't be able to use all the colours in the palette (the lightest colour doesn't show on my skin at all, and the darkest colour is too dark for my liking)
- Like other bloggers, I wish the NAKED3 Palette came in a hard box like the NAKED1 - yes, the box looks nice now, but it doesn't seem very durable in the long-run!

Overall:
I've had quite a few compliments when using my NAKED3 Palette, as the light colours really match my skin very well!! It's a good buy, as I got so many colours in one palette, in comparison to my 5-coloured eyeshadow palette from Chanel which came with crappy travel-sized applicators that I got for a similar price! I'm so glad I got this!!


This is me with very light makeup...and my NAKED3:

The products I used:
Blush Stick from Kosé
Eyebrow Powder from Chanel
Eyeshadow Base from Chanel
Eyeshadow from Urban Decay NAKED3 Palette
Lip Balm from Chanel
Liquid Eyeliner from Lioele
Loose Face Powder from Paul & Joe
Mascara by Lioele
Moisturising Foundation Primer by Paul & Joe

I also ordered the NAKED3 for my sister-in-law, and this is a pic of her using the NAKED3. She has a darker skin tone than me, and she uses heavier makeup normally.

As you can see from the above photos, the colours in the palette work very well on both our skin tones, and it gives us such a natural glow too! What more could we expect from an eyeshadow palette?!

Thank you for reading, and if you have any questions, feel free to comment below!

Have a nice day!

IOPE

Who hasn't heard of the brand IOPE nowadays? It seems to be really popular, with its "Miracle Water", the Air Cushion, and other great products it sells. I started using this brand during the winter of 2012-2013 when my sister-in-law brought back some sample sized creams from Korea, and I instantly fell in love with those creams!!! Let's see what the rave is all about!!! :D

Super Vital Extra Moist Cream by IOPE

This cream is a bestseller item from IOPE, a brand of Amore Pacific Corporation.

My sister-in-law brought this back from her Korea trip back in 2012 and gave me a small 8mL sample to try along with many other Korean skincare products. I instantly fell in love with the cream and asked her where she got it from, then she gave me a few more samples. At that time, IOPE was not so popular in Hong Kong, and I could not find them selling anywhere, but I'm glad to find them selling almost everywhere in Hong Kong nowadays! I mainly use this in the winter as it is super moisturising, but I did try to use it recently too and it's spring now...it was still okay but I still prefer saving it to use in winter.

Texture: Rich and creamy, but absorbs very quickly and does not leave any sticky nor greasy feeling.

Pros:
- Nice packaging
- Smells really nice
- Very nutritious for the skin
- Leaves my skin feeling very soft and supple after application
- Absorbs very quickly into the skin
- Does not leave a greasy nor sticky feeling
- Perfect for normal/dry skin or to use during the dry winter months

Cons:
- The full size tub is quite expensive (around HKD750+)
- May not be so good for people with oily skin or for use during the humid summer months

Rating: 9/10


Bio-Essence Intensive Conditioning 168mL

This is an Asian facial treatment that promises to promote clear skin and firming, even out skin tone, and brighten skin within 3 days of use. Other bloggers usually compare this to the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, and found them to be of similar effectiveness. I will be referring to the Bio-Essence Intensive Conditioning as "IOPE Essence" in this review.

I ordered the IOPE Essence from www.minikmall.com for a price of around HKD380 when it was on sale, but I had to wait for around 2 weeks for the shop to restock. I recently went back to see how much the IOPE Essence cost, and the price has gone up to HKD438, but there is stock available at the shop, so there is no need to wait for that long for the IOPE Essence to be delivered to your door.

I love online shopping because I really enjoy the process of unwrapping packages! When I opened up the package, I was surprised to see that my IOPE Essence had come with a box of cotton pads for free!

I have used the IOPE Essence for more than 1 month before doing this review.

Appearance:
- It comes in a frosted glass bottle with a silver cap
- It feels sturdy and heavy in hand
- There is a small hole to dispense the product (many people complain that the hole only releases a few droplets of essence each time, but I have had no trouble with this so far)

How to use:
- It is recommended to be used as an essence: After using toner, place the cotton pad onto the middle finger and soak the pad with 3mL (size of a coin or 1/3 of the cotton pad) of the IOPE Essence. Starting from the cheeks and forehead and then moving from the centre of your face, slowly wipe your face from the inside to the outside, and then gently pat your face with your hands to enhance its absorption. You will see that the cotton pad will turn to a brownish colour, as it wipes off all the dirt on your face.
- Some people prefer to use this as a toner: Pour a sufficient amount of the IOPE Essence onto palms, and pat onto the face.

Pros:
- Contains a high percentage of fermented ingredient(s)
- It is transparent and has a watery consistency with no smell whatsoever
- It is very hydrating (sometimes I just apply the IOPE Essence without applying moisturiser, and my skin still feels hydrated!)
- It wipes off any dirt very well (even better than my usual toner)
- Absorbs very quickly (especially when I pat it onto my face using my hands)
- Hubby has complimented that my skin looks healthier and brighter now too!
- Much cheaper than the SK-II "miracle water"

Cons:
- Slightly expensive
- I had hoped for it to tighten my pores, but it had no effect on this
- It didn't do anything "WOW!" to my skin (perhaps it would be more effective for those older than me and actually needs some fixing up in their skin)

Rating: 7/10


IOPE Air Cushion XP SPF50+/PA+++

This is another highly raved product, but unfortunately I didn't end up buying this product - my friend did. These are the photos that she took of her product, and she loves it, so unfortunately, I cannot review this product.

Appearance:

I've read mixed reviews on this IOPE Air Cushion, so I'm still deciding whether to purchase this one or the Laneige one. I'll let you know when I do buy my one though!

But for now, thanks for reading, and have a nice day!

Do leave a comment if you have any questions or suggestions!