Etude House Color Pop Review: Color Pop Drawing Show Creamy Pencil, Color Pop Nails

Here is the long awaited Part ② of my Etude House Color Pop overview. It was pure torture during the whole process to publish this post because I could not use the items until I photographed them. And I am a procrastinator... so, you can guess how well (not!) that went haha.

ღ Drawing Show Creamy Pencil Color Pop

Name: Etude House 에뛰드하우스 Color Pop Drawing Show Creamy Pencil 드로잉쇼 크리미 펜슬 컬러팝
Price: ₩ 6,000 for 1.9 g
Made in: Korea

The two shades I have are OR202 Let Love Orange 렛 러브 오렌지 (true orange) and PK103 Luck and Pink 락 앤 핑크 (brick pink). OR202 is matte whereas PK103 has slight shimmers.

OR202 - PK103

OR202 - PK103

These pencils glide easily with minimal tugging (bear in mind that I have oily lids). The colours are not completely opaque which means that they are very forgiving, thus fitting unsteady hands.

They last the few hours I donned them without smudging or transferring. I really like them and I wish they came in the ubiquitous black shade. I would snap it up in a heartbeat!

ღ Color Pop Nails

Clockwise from bottom left: CGR701 Apple Shower Pop 애플샤워팝 - CGR704 Melon Soda Pop 멜론소다팝 - CBL601 Hawaiian Soda Pop 하와이안소다팝 - CBL604 Funky Jean Pop 펑키진팝

Name: Etude House 에뛰드하우스 Color Pop Nails 컬러팝 네일즈
Price: ₩ 2,000 for 7 ml
Made in: Korea

Like most Etude House polishes, the formulation run on the thin but opaque side. I could have gotten away with one coat but to even out streaks, I brushed on two.

CGR701 - CGR704 - CBL601 - CBL604

CGR701 - CGR704 - CBL601 - CBL604

From my pictures, one would assume CGR704 (forest green) and CBL601 (medium turquoise) are identical but that is so far from the truth. Please accept my apologies for my camera is unable to pick up the differences. You can refer to the picture below for more accurate swatches:

To buy, visit your nearest Etude House outlet or etudehouse.com.

Part ①

(Source: Promotional images are from etude.co.kr/)

Disclosure: Pink Bird samples.

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Assorted Elisha Coy Masks

It may be low-key but Elisha Coy is one of the Korean brands to watch. It has an awesome philosophy and even better, peerless sheet masks! Sheet masks from most Korean brands (Leaders Clinie, Nature Republic, Purederm to name a few) are utterly horrible.

(Source: elishacoy.com/)

ღ Aloe & Lavender

Name: Elisha Coy 엘리샤코이 Aloe & Lavender 알로에 & 라벤더
Price: ￦ 16,000 for 1 box (23 g ×10)
Made in: Korea

Price: ★★★★★★★ RM 4.41/sachet
Scent: ★★★★☆☆☆ A little bit like an aloe infused wet wipes
Moisturising level: ★★★★★☆☆ +19.3%
Whitening degree: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ Non-existent
Recommend: No. Very nourishing and soothing but not memorable enough to repurchase.

ღ Houttuynia Cordata & Chestnut Husk

Name: Elisha Coy 엘리샤코이 Houttuynia Cordata & Chestnut Husk 어성초 & 율피
Price: ￦ 16,000 for 1 box (23 g ×10)
Made in: Korea

Price: ★★★★★★★ RM 4.41/sachet
Scent: ★★★★★★☆ Very faint almost indiscernible scent
Moisturising level: ★★★★★★☆ +20.4%
Whitening degree: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ Non-existent
Recommend: Yes! I like the idea of a mask catered for the pores plus it leaves my face supple and bouncy.

ღ Natural Pearl

Name: Elisha Coy 엘리샤코이 Natural Pearl 내츄럴 진주
Price: ￦ 16,000 for 1 box (23 g ×10)
Made in: Korea

Price: ★★★★★★★ RM 4.41/sachet
Scent: ★★★★★☆☆ Powder
Moisturising level: ★★★★★☆☆ +19.8%
Whitening degree: ★★★★★☆☆
Recommend: Yes. Brightens and hydrates; Natural Pearl has everything going for it.

ღ Ricebran & Arbutin

Name: Elisha Coy 엘리샤코이 Ricebran & Arbutin 쌀겨 & 알부틴
Price: ￦ 16,000 for 1 box (23 g ×10)
Made in: Korea

Price: ★★★★★★★ RM 4.41/sachet
Scent: ★★★☆☆☆☆ Wet wipes
Moisturising level: ★★★★★★☆ +21.5%
Whitening degree: ★☆☆☆☆☆☆ Minimal
Recommend: No! It is supposed to brighten but it did not deliver.

ღ Skin Repairing Snail

Name: Elisha Coy 엘리샤코이 Skin Repairing Snail 스킨 리페어링 스네일
Price: ￦ 18,000 for 1 box (23 g ×10)
Made in: Korea

Price: ★★★★★★☆ RM 5.85/sachet
Scent: ★★★★★☆☆ Generic floral scent. If you have a snail mask, you will know how it smells like. All of them seem to have the similar fragrance
Moisturising level: ★★★★★★☆ +22.6%
Whitening degree: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ Non-existent
Recommend: Yes. Leaves my face soft and moisturised.

My verdict:
#1 Houttuynia Cordata & Chestnut Husk
#2 Skin Repairing Snail
#3 Natural Pearl
#4 Aloe & Lavender
#5 Ricebran & Arbutin

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Etude House Color Pop Review: Dear My Blooming Lips-Talk (Color Pop), Color Pop Shine Tint

Etude House celebrates the arrival of summer with the Color Pop collection, which consists of the season's trendiest hue - orange.

ღ Dear My Blooming Lips-Talk (Color Pop)

Name: Etude House 에뛰드하우스 Dear My Blooming Lips-Talk (Color Pop) 디어 마이 블루밍 립스-톡 (컬러팝) OR217 Finally Orange 마침내 오렌지
Price: ₩ 8,500 for 3.4 g
Made in: Korea

OR217 is a medium, leaning on brown shade of orange; the term burnt orange comes to mind when I look at it. It has good colour payoff and I need no more than two swipes or so to achieve even, full coverage. It is a matte with a sheen.

As with all Etude House lipsticks, it is imbued with the loveliest apricot scent. It sucks all the moisture out of my lips and bleeds into lip lines; a lip balm is a must in order to wear this lipstick.

You came to the right place if you like orange lipsticks. There is a good variety of trendy hues across the Dear My Blooming Lips-Talk (Color Pop) range:

ღ Color Pop Shine Tint

Name: Etude House 에뛰드하우스 Color Pop Shine Tint 컬러팝 반짝 틴트 2 Sunny Pop 써니 팝
Price: ₩ 8,500 for 7 g
Made in: Korea

2 Sunny Pop is a scarlet red with yellow undertones. It goes on smoothly and feels weightless on the lips without being sticky or tacky. For a tint, it wears off fairly quickly. It only lasts a maximum of two hours (after drinking, snacking, licking etc) on me.

This highly opaque tint can be worn sheer or to its maximum potential. It is extremely easy to even out the tone of the lips with this tint. As expected from an Etude House lip product, it is infused with a faint apricot scent that goes away once applied.

Drying would not be the word I would use to describe this tint because it simply is not true. Nevertheless, it does not impart moisture, which is the reason why a lip balm is needed under the stain for extra smoothing and plumping but you may ditch it if you wished to.

The other shades available are variations of orange:

Part ②

(Source: Promotional images are from etude.co.kr/)

Disclosure: Pink Bird samples.

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L'Oreal Professionnel Liss Ultime Smoothing Shampoo & Masque

My initial impression of the Obsessive Beauty box pinpointed L'Oréal Professionnel Liss Ultime Smoothing Shampoo and Masque as the standouts.

The description:
This range promises to nourish and smooth unmanageable frizzy hair against humidity. Smoothing Shampoo is infused with Oil Incell Technology - a combination of Incell and nourishing Olive and Argan oils - to provide lasting smoothness while Smoothing Masque contains Polymer AR to bathe hair in hydration.

ღ Liss Ultime Smoothing Shampoo

Name: L'Oréal Professionnel Paris Liss Ultime Smoothing Shampoo
Price: RM 79 for 500 ml
Made in: Spain

I won't pretend I wasn't disgruntled when I noted that Smoothing Shampoo has Sodium Laureth Sulfate as its second ingredient. All shampoos should be sulphate free! The smell gets top marks though - it is botanical yet fresh.

Luckily it is up to snuff so far... it feels gentle and does not make my scalp itch. For a shampoo with SLS, the foaming action is unexpectedly weak. Since L'Oréal Professionnel already decided to include this ingredient, they might as well serve up a rich lather.

Good as it may be, I still have misgivings about the formulation, which is why I am not giving this shampoo the green light.

The full ingredient list for Liss Ultime Smoothing Shampoo:
Aqua/Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium Coco-amphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium Ricinoleamido MEA-Sulfosuccinate, Ceteareth-60 Myristyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Methylparaben, Salicylic Acid, Ethylparaben, Hexyl Cinnamal, Olea Europaea Oil/Olive Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Oil/Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Methylparaben, Butylphenyl Methyl-propional, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Parfum/Fragrance.

ღ Liss Ultime Smoothing Masque

Name: L'Oréal Professionnel Paris Liss Ultime Smoothing Masque
Price: RM 67 for 200 ml
Made in: Spain

With my long hair constantly being blow-dried on full blast (without a heat protecting product), I have been trying to minimise the damage using masques instead of conditioners.

This masque slips through my hair as easily as other masques. It softens, detangles and adds shine without causing build-up. The scent is stronger in the shampoo, so you if you like your hair to smell fabulous, this masque might not be for you.

And since I raised a fuss about the ingredient list for Smoothing Shampoo, I am going to do the same for Smoothing Masque. I wish that it is free from silicones, otherwise, I would definitely recommend trying Smoothing Masque.

The full ingredient list for Liss Ultime Smoothing Masque:
Aqua/Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Cetyl Esters, Trideceth-5, Methylparaben, Trideceth-10, Benzyl Salycilate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Chlorihexidine Dihydrochloride, Hexyl Cinnamal, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Linalool, Parfum/Fragrance.

I am terribly disappointed by my initial impression but I shan't give up because the box holds other treasures!

Disclosure: Press samples.

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Heaven On Earth Happiness Massage Blend

I have held a certain fascination for body oils ever since I started incorporating facial oils into my skincare regimen. Happiness is a massage oil (which means there is a thicker concentration of oil) that doubles as a body oil!

Name: Heaven on Earth Happiness Massage Blend
Price: RM 89 for 100 ml
Formulated in: Australia

The oils were carefully analysed for their properties and masterfully fused together to form the Happiness blend. That is the only conclusion I could come up with. Otherwise, how else could I explain the deliciously heady scent? The smell alone transports me into the land of idyll and relaxation.

This oil takes a few quick minutes to completely absorb into my skin, which is the most important criteria. I would hate to look as if I just took a dip in a vat of oil. The light and fluid consistency makes it a great body oil but since it isn't as viscous, I will need a whole lot more if I ever use it for its intended purpose.

Within one application my skin transformed, leaving the scaly shell I used to have behind. After ten days of daily usage, my dry itchy legs are a mere memory. They are so much softer and smoother now.

Oils are susceptible to rancidity which makes housing it in a tinted glass bottle imminently practical. However, the bottle is short of a spray dispenser. A veil of mist will help the oil to spread evenly and limit the amount used. It is an indispensable requirement!

RM 89 may be a little more than what I would usually spend on a body product but it is well worth the price tag. Happiness is available at auspinetwork.wix.com/heaven-on-earth in a 100 ml glass bottle.

The main ingredient list for Happiness Massage Blend:
Pure Grapeseed and Jojoba base oils, Rose Geranium, Neroli and other essential oils.

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Etude House: Bright Fit, Cotton Fit, BB Dation, CC Glow

I don't make it a habit to review samples but I thought that I might as well give it a go since I have them on hand. Plus, it will serve as a guide to all those without access to an Etude House outlet.

The contenders are:
ღ Precious Mineral BB Cream Bright Fit SPF30 PA++ (진주알 맑은 BB크림 브라이트핏 SPF30 PA++)

Price: ₩ 14,000 for 60 g.
Shade: Comes in 4 shades – N02 라이트베이지, W13 내추럴베이지, W24 허니베이지 and W15 샌드베이지. W13 내추럴베이지 is a medium beige with cool undertones.
Fragrance: Floral fragrance.
Texture: Fluid and creamy.
Coverage: Medium.
Finish: Glowy.

ღ Precious Mineral BB Cream Cotton Fit SPF30 PA++ (진주알 맑은 BB크림 코튼핏 SPF30 PA++)

Price: ₩ 14,000 for 60 g.
Shade: Comes in 3 shades – 라이트베이지, 내추럴베이지 and 허니베이지. 내추럴베이지 is a light beige with warm undertones.
Fragrance: Baby powder.
Texture: Fluid and creamy.
Coverage: Medium.
Finish: Matte.

ღ Precious Mineral BB Dation SPF40 PA+++ (진주알 맑은 비비데이션 SPF40 PA+++)

Price: ₩ 15,000 for 30 g.
Shade: Comes in 3 shades – 1호 라이트 베이지, 2호 내추럴 베이지 and 3호 허니 베이지. 2호 내추럴베이지 is a light beige with the warm(est) undertones (comparatively).
Fragrance: Floral fragrance.
Texture: Fluid and creamy.
Coverage: Medium.
Finish: Matte.

ღ Correct & Care CC Cream Glow SPF30 PA++ (CC크림 SPF30 PA++)

Price: ₩ 14,000 for 35 g.
Shade: Comes in 2 shades – 1호 실키 and 2호 글로우. 2호 글로우 is an ivory with colour capsules that burst upon contact with skin.
Fragrance: Floral fragrance.
Texture: Fluid and creamy.
Coverage: Minimal.
Finish: Very glowy.

I wanted to perform oil blotting and oxidation tests but the amount given can only stretch so far. Nevertheless, I hope you find it useful.

Thank you for reading!

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NRK Hand Creams: HA Brightening & Hydrating, Peptide Nourishing & Smoothing

From beauty specialty stores to department stores, you will be inundated with an array of hand creams. It is time to ditch them and head towards your nearest computer (or pharmacy) for Naruko has once again brought out the big guns when formulating their latest release.

ღ HA Brightening & Hydrating Hand Cream

Name: NRK HA Brightening & Hydrating Hand Cream
Price: RM 8.90 for 30 g
Made in: Taiwan

HA Brightening & Hydrating Hand Cream is a fluid, runny white cream that sinks in easily, leaving no residue. It has a faint almost undetectable scent. I, for one prefer my hand creams to smell fabulous (Raspberry Chocolate Cookie anyone?) but it slowly grew on me.

Do note that mineral oil features quite high up in the ingredient list. I know many are able to use mineral oil based personal care products without any problems, so it is just one of those things that vary in accordance with your preference.

The full ingredient list for HA Brightening & Hydrating Hand Cream:
Purified Water (Aqua), Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mineral Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Dimethicone, Steareth-21, Shea Butter Oil, Steareth-2, Jojoba Seed Oil, Petrolatum, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Talc, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arbutin, Fragrance, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Dibutyl Hydroxy Toluene, Disodium EDTA, Methylisothiazolinone.

ღ Peptide Nourishing & Smoothing Hand Cream

Name: NRK Peptide Nourishing & Smoothing Hand Cream
Price: RM 8.90 for 30 g
Made in: Taiwan

Peptide Nourishing & Smoothing Hand Cream has an emollient, balmy texture than that of a cream. Even though it takes some work to spread, it does not leave behind a sticky film once completely absorbed. Of the two creams, this is by far the better option if you are blighted with dry hands.

I can't say much about the evening fine lines claim but just the thought of it is good enough for me.

The full ingredient list for Peptide Nourishing & Smoothing Hand Cream:
Purified Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Shea Butter Oil, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylisothiazoilnone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Disodium EDTA, Dibutyl Hydroxy Toluene, Collagen Extract, CI 19140, CI 42053, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8.

On the downside, they lack SPF, which is extremely important in this hot climate. Aside from this one shortcoming, I really like them and find them worth buying. Just to top it all off, these hand creams are a steal at RM 8.90 each!

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