Jill Stuart Blush Blossom 05 Poetic Daisy Review, Swatches, BOTD

(Source: jillstuart-beauty.com/)

Another Jill Stuart limited edition blush to add to my ever growing blush collection~ And this time around I have the generous Ms Vicky to thank! I'm so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful friends ♥

Name: Jill Stuart ジルスチュアート Blush Blossom ブラッシュ ブロッサム 05 Poetic Daisy
Price: ¥ 4,500 for 5 g
@cosme rating: 5.0 ★
Release date: 6.8.2010

The Blush Blossom range has been released for quite a while, so I won't bore you by launching into a long or even short speech about the packaging since others have done a better job.

The blush is divided into two sides, a sheer cool toned baby pink shimmer tint on the left and it is paired with a medium pigmented rosy shade with coral hints blush glow on the right. It is recommended to apply the blush glow first and then the shimmer tint for a glowy finish.

They are finely milled, smooth and have a gorgeous satin sheen. I absolutely adore pink blushes so I was relieved when I saw that they gave me a flattering rosy flush once applied on my cheeks.

I was really pleased at how soft the brush felt compared to the brush from the Mix Blush Compact. It is too dense for my tastes though, so I will be utilizing my own blush brush.

05 Poetic Daisy is no longer sold at the counters but Jill Stuart is always coming out with new and repetitive colours; you might see this combination soon haha.

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Naruko Review: Tea Tree Oil Out Acne Clay Cleanser, Tea Tree Oil Out Balancing Serum, AMPM C12 Two-Step Line Reducing Set

Naruko is the brainchild of skincare guru 牛爾老師, a frequent guest on the Taiwanese beauty talk show 女人我最大. I am crazy over Naruko and with good reason. Their products are inexpensive and they work very well.

ღ Tea Tree Oil Out Acne Clay Cleanser

Name: Naruko Tea Tree Oil Out Acne Clay Cleanser
Price: RM 29 for 120 ml
Made in: Taiwan

The cleanser has a soft moldable almost creamy clay texture and even with the ingrained scrubby beads it is extremely gentle on my skin.

Upon application, it gives a cooling minty sensation and smells absolutely refreshing. I am rather used to the scent of tea tree in my skincare so I am immune to it but it might not be your cup of tea.

My face feels clean and fresh after using it and it does not strip moisture from my skin whatsoever. It is multi-purpose, besides its main function as a cleanser, it can act as an exfoliant and a weekly clay mask.

I tend to break out less after using this cleanser and I have already repurchased a second tube. It has cemented itself as one of my favourite cleansers ever!

The full ingredient list for Tea Tree Oil Out Acne Clay Cleanser:

ღ Tea Tree Oil Out Balancing Serum

Name: Naruko Tea Tree Oil Out Balancing Serum
Price: RM 52 for 30 ml
Made in: Taiwan

The super lightweight runny texture aids in hastening absorption.

As with the cleanser, this serum also contains peppermint essential oil which is cooling and this helps to calm the skin somewhat. However, that is the only thing it does. This serum does not check off the other claims in the description - it does not do a thing to curb breakouts, lighten pigmentation or refine pores.

I guess I was expecting too much after watching YouTube gurus rave about this serum...

The full ingredient list for Tea Tree Oil Out Balancing Serum:

ღ AMPM C12 Two-Step Line Reducing Set

Name: Naruko AMPM C12 Two-Step Line Reducing Set
Price: RM 99 for 60 ml
Made in: Taiwan

Step ① C12 Ultimate Line Reducer

It has a silky smooth consistency as with most silicone loaded serums. The high concentration of Vitamin C in Step ① (12%) makes my skin tingle whenever I apply it.

Step ② Vitamin C Serum Enhancer

Step ② has a fluid texture. It needs a little bit of patting before it absorbs completely.

Steps ① and ② come in toothpaste squeeze tubes. This design keeps out sunlight as well as prevents oxidation and contamination. They both smell like chewable Vitamin C supplements that I used to eat as a child.

The two tubes used in conjunction gave me wonderful results. I wake up with super firm skin and I noticed this even from my first usage. I did not notice much effects clarity wise nor does it brighten my skin. I only use these serums during the night time, which is why they lasted quite some time.

I will repurchase once I am done with the other serums in my stash. They are the perfect anti-ageing tool!

The full ingredient list for Step ① C12 Ultimate Line Reducer:

The full ingredient list for Step ② Vitamin C Serum Enhancer:

If you are interested in purchasing Naruko, you can get it from naruko.my or Watsons.

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Lashem™ Double Trouble Mascara

Double Trouble Mascara promises to create the illusion of bigger, bolder, beautiful lashes that go the distance.

Name: Lashem™ Double Trouble Mascara
Price: US$ 19.99 for 6 ml
Made in: USA

How to use:
Apply the volumizing black mascara first, and then finish with the lengthening fiber black mascara. (Source: lashem.com/)

The wands come out from the tube without much product on them. There were not any messy gobs on the wands except on the tip of the lengthening wand. I was pleased yet concerned that the formulas would be too dry but this is not the case at all. There was sufficient product on the wands for a smooth and fuss free application.

Both formulas do not clump whatsoever even after a few layers. I am also very chuffed to report that they don't make the lashes feel stiff or crunchy after they dry. My one and only caveat: they don't hold a curl well even after some gentle curling after applying mascara.

I am going to address the wands and effects separately.
1) Volumizing
Comes with a flexible wand. It does not really provide much volumization but it does lengthen my lashes.

2) Lengthening
The stubby wand was not the best for coating my sparse lashes, I had to be really careful against smudging. It did not do much lengthening or volumizing. I can skip this side if I want since it does not make much of a difference in my lashes.

Although I like the volumizing side, this mascara is not really for my puny stick straight lashes. I prefer mascaras that give me the effect mentioned in the promises section (right at the top). However, I do think it would be good for those who are already blessed with long lush lashes because it adds more definition.

Left: with; right: without

The full ingredient list for Double Trouble Mascara Volume:
Water, Stearic Acid, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Glycerl Stearate, Polyethylene, Polyisobutene, Isododecane, PVP K-30, Castor Isostearate Succinate, Hydrogenate Castor, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Acrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Tetrasodium Phytophosphate, Sweet Grape, Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Malus Domestica, Triethanolamine, Polyisobutene, Isododecane, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol.

The full ingredient list for Double Trouble Mascara Length:
Water, Octyldodecyl, Behenyl Citrate Crosspolymer, Brassica Campestris, Aleurites Ford Oil Copolymer, Beeswax, Castor Isostearate Succinate, Hydrogenate Castor, Isopropyl Myristate, Persea Gratissima Butter, Trisostearyl Citrate, Stearic Acid, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Hydrophobic Fumed Silica, Sweet Grape Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Malus Domestica, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol.

Lashem has a bunch of discount codes on their Facebook page so go get your like on.

Disclosure: Press sample.

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Gmarket Beauty Calender

Have you seen the Beauty Calender section in Gmarket and wondered what it does?

It notifies you when your favourite brands will be discounted!

(Source: global.gmarket.co.kr/)
Beauty Calender for December 2013

I prefer purchasing items directly from the brand itself so I am including some official minishop links in this entry just in case you have been looking around for one:
9wishes
A'pieu
Amore Pacific
Banila Co
Beauty People Makeup
BRTC
Cellbydate
Charmzone
Chosungah22
Club Clio
CNP Laboratory
Dr Jart
Espoir
Etude House
Gowoonsesang
Holika Holika
Innisfree
Insobeau
It's Skin
Label Young
Lalavesi
LG Household & Health Care
Missha
Mizon
Nature Republic
Scinic
Seatree
Secret Key
Sidmool
Skin79
Skinfood
SNP
The Face Shop
The Saem
Tony Moly

Some search terms to look out for:
Coogi - 쿠지
Hanskin - 한스킨
Pihyunjeong - 피현정
Secret Nature - 시크릿네이처
So'natural - 쏘내추럴

Let me know if I missed out any brands in the comments section. I will update my list accordingly!

In other news, I often times notice search results with the words Gmarket sender directed to my blog. I am going to address this question on this article, you can write type anything/anyone you desire to be the sender: yourself, Gmarket or even your favourite Korean celebrity as seen in my case.

Yeah, INFINITE's L (Kim Myung-soo) haha!

Have you ever made a purchase from Gmarket? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Lashem™ Review: Picture Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Cream, 3-in-1 Eye Bright

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul.. as you can see (a pun haha!) it is very important to keep that fragile area in the best condition possible. After all, you would not want your eye bags/circles/lines to be the first thing people notice when they meet you right?

Thanks to Lashem™ I got to try TWO eye creams! Eye creams are notoriously expensive and they can easily cost twice as much compared to the average moisturizer..

(Source: lashem.com/)

ღ Picture Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Cream

Name: Lashem™ Picture Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Cream
Price: US$ 38 for 15 ml
Made in: USA

How to use:
Dab a thin layer on the area around your eyes after your morning cleansing routine. Let dry completely before applying makeup for face creams. Use on a daily basis for a long term effect. (Source: lashem.com/)

This eye cream is infused with vitamins and minerals and nourishes as well as aids in increasing elasticity. It does not seem to do a thing for elasticity, but it is moisturising enough without causing milia.

The formula is runny and it takes some light patting before it absorbs. It wears well under makeup and does not cause foundation or concealer to ball up.

The full ingredient list for Picture Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Cream:

ღ 3-in-1 Eye Bright

Name: Lashem™ 3-in-1 Eye Bright
Price: US$ 39.99 for 15 ml
Made in: USA

How to use:
Apply in the evening after your cleansing routine and gently smooth the formula to the area around the eye. Let formula dry completely before bed. (Source: lashem.com/)

It is supposed to de-puff and rejuvenate the appearance of tired eyes for a brighter and refreshed look. The consistency is gel-like, it goes on smoothly and is easily absorbed by the skin.

I didn't notice any significant brightening effect nor a dramatic difference to my under eye area however prolonged usage did help in reducing the appearance of fine lines.

The full ingredient list for 3-in-1 Eye Bright:

These eye creams come with a pump which make them much more hygienic. The only downside to the opaque packaging is that you cannot tell how much product is left in the bottle.

I prefer 3-in-1 Eye Bright because it actually did something and the lighter texture is much more to my liking. I will purchase it after I am done with my current bottle, that is if I do not get distracted by other eye creams in the market.

Disclosure: Press samples.

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