Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Etude House: Proof 10 Auto Pencil, Fresh Cherry Tint, Hot Summer Nail & Body Painting

I ended up with an assortment of best sellers from Etude House's generous Pink Box for August. I have been plodding through a neverending heatwave so this box was a blessing (it took my mind off the weather for a good hour? Hahaha).

Proof 10 Auto Pencil



Name: Etude House 에뛰드하우스 Proof 10 Auto Pencil 프루프10 방수펜슬 BK801 Proof Black 방수블랙
Price: ₩ 6,000 for 0.3 g
Made in: Korea

This retractable eyeliner comes with a sharpener tucked into the base. BK801, a greyish-black, is fairly creamy and it does not budge at all once it dries (just remember that its smudge-proof properties does not apply to the waterline).

I am in love with the formulation and shall get BK802 Pearl Black 샤인블랙펄 for comparison purposes:


Fresh Cherry Tint



Name: Etude House 에뛰드하우스 Fresh Cherry Tint 앵두알 맑은 틴트 PK001 Cherry Pink 앵두알 핑크
Price: ₩ 6,000 for 9 g
Made in: Korea

PK001 is a sweet baby pink that barely shows up on my pigmented lips. Its only saving grace is the delightful strawberry popsicle smell, an utterly different spin from Etude House's usual affinity with apricot scents.

Fresh Cherry Tint has three other shades:


Hot Summer Nail & Body Painting



Name: Etude House 에뛰드하우스 Hot Summer Nail & Body Painting 핫썸머 네일 & 바디 페인팅 1 Cooling Pink 쿨링 핑크
Price: ₩ 6,000 for 1 box (7 ml ×2)
Made in: Korea

The neon pink and creamy beige duo in Cooling Pink have different consistencies. The former is so much sheerer whereas the latter has a thicker formula, which results in visible brush strokes. Both are solid two coaters though and work beautifully together.

There are three neon combinations in the collection:


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

Disclosure: Pink Bird samples.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Aqualabel Special Gel Cream

After being disappointed with my first foray into into the world of all-in-one skincare products last year, I had my trepidations about Special Gel Cream. The turning point came when I read the phrase 'sold 580,000 units in its first month'!

What it is formulated to do:
Collagen GL helps to firm skin, W Hyaluronic Acid keeps signs of age at bay and Plum Extract works to hydrate skin.


Name: Aqualabel アクアレーベル Special Gel Cream スペシャルジェルクリーム
Price: ¥ 1,800 for 90 g
@cosme rating: 4.3
Release date: 21.8.2012

Special Gel Cream is a multitasking five-in-one product that replaces the need for lotions, emulsions, essences, creams and mask. It is now possible to save time, money and hasten your daily routine with this cream in your hands.

The highly unusual bouncy gel texture (sort of like liquefied jelly) is really something. After dipping a finger in to thoroughly mix it up, it will somehow smoothen itself out and return to its original pristine state.



It spreads easily and cools the skin leaving me with a nourished complexion. I find that it does not completely absorb whenever I slather on too much making my face feel really sticky. After having it around for so long, you would think I figured out the proper amount to slap on but nope!

I have been using this for four weeks and I really like it. It hydrates my skin without clogging my pores. I just wish it goes the extra mile - it would be nice if it had a noticeable firming effect. I am getting old and I need all the help I can get!


The pot is huge so it is really impractical for travelling and has the added bonus of scaring the bejesus out of germaphobes. I will reuse it because all that red is very striking. And the rose scent mentioned on the blurb actually means 95% floral and 5% rose. It is quite soothing though, so that is a job well-done (sort of)?


You can buy Special Gel Cream from Watsons where it retails for RM 89.90. What do you guys think? Have any of you tried all-in-one skincare products?

The full ingredient list for Special Gel Cream:
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, PEG-240/HDI Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Gellan Gum, Methylparaben, Sodium Citrate, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Juice, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylparaben, Sodium Metaphosphate, Potassium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Citric Acid, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, BHT, PEG/PPG-14/7, Dimethyl Ether, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol.

Disclosure: Press sample.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Boss Orange Woman Eau De Parfum

One spritz was all Orange Woman Eau de Parfum needed to be crowned my new favourite.


Name: Boss ボス Orange Woman オレンジ ウーマン Eau de Parfum オードパルファム
Price: RM 248 for 50 ml
Made in: UK

The flacon injects an elegant vibe and at the same time, manages to embody joy (the colour palette is a huge factor, don't you think?). The bronze gold accent is an excellent accompaniment to the pink-orange coloured faceted bottle. So pretty!


The generic notes of revitalising sweet apple, soulful cinnamon and intense amber resting on a background of sensual labdanum and creamy vanilla did not spark any excitement - they are too ordinary. So I was taken by surprise when they transcended expectations and hypnotised my senses.

The finish is pure perfection... it has the ability to make me feel sophisticated as soon as I spray it. It will wear well at night and when temperatures start to drop.


Accordingly for an Eau de Parfum, it lingers on for a minumum of six hours!


Orange Woman Eau de Parfum is available now at all major department stores and perfumeries.

The full ingredient list for Orange Woman Eau de Parfum:
Alcohol Denat., Aqua (Water), Parfum (Fragrance), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben, BHT, Citronellol, Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Eugenol, Farnesol, CI 60730 (Ext. Violet 2), CI 14700 (Red 4), CI 19140 (Yellow 5).

Disclosure: Press sample.