Monday, April 27, 2015

Recommendations + Mini-Review: Korean Road Brand Skin Care Products




Hey Lovelies!
I'm so glad I finally found the time to write my next post. I've been getting quite a few questions/suggestions about what Korean skin care products I  can recommend. So, I decided to gather all my favorite products and share it all with you guys. 

This week's product review will not be as in-depth as my previous reviews because I will be featuring not one but all of the products featured below. However, if there is a product here that you want me to give a more in-depth review then I am more than willing to write one for you, guys. 




Just so you know, I don't use high-end skin care products because I believe that most road brand products (equivalent to drugstore) in Korea are just as good or even better as the ones we can get at the department store. I have received and tested samples of high-end skin care products like Hera and SK-II but really couldn't tell that much difference. Also, I don't want my skin to get used to that expensive stuff. :) Maybe I'll consider it when my skin becomes more mature and needs more care. 

So let's jump right into it!

The Face Shop Phyto Powder Green Tea Lip and Eye Remover
It is a lip and eye makeup remover with green tea, which mildly and thoroughly removes super-strong waterproof makeup on sensitive skin. It is one of those cleansing oil that is made of two layer solution, which you have to shake before using. I like this product for two good reasons - affordability and efficacy. It does the job well and it costs about $3 or less. I wear mascara and lip makeup everyday so I normally use a lot of this oil remover. Therefore, it isn't practical to get an expensive one when there's a cheaper alternative.

Missha Time Revolution One Step Oil-Gel Cleanser
It is a one step cleanser to help gently melt makeup with oil massage and cleanse the  face with foam. It means it starts off like an oil when you apply it on your dry face and as you massage the product it slowly hardens almost like a clay mask. Then, you can splash your face with a bit of water and it literally turns into a foam. You can immediately see the result as your makeup melts with it. Before I used this product I normally use different cleansing oil and foam, but after I found out about this I never looked back. This is truly a one-step cleanser! It is also very gentle to your skin and leaves a very nice soft and moisturized effect afterwards. I use this stuff every night and the product lasts for over 3 months. I am finishing my second tube of it. I obviously LOVE this product!  (125 ml)

Missha Time Revolution Essential Cream Scrub
It is skin treatment scrub to help remove dead skin cells and make skin smooth and bright with natural rice bran scrubs and fermented essential ingredients. This is the product I used every other day (3 times a week) to exfoliate my face. I have suffered from terrible acne breakouts about 2 years ago and it has left my skin some minor scarring and hyper pigmentation, exfoliation helps with the healing of my skin. And since this product contains natural ingredients for brightening and scrubbing it helps a  lot with gradually blurring out my skin discoloration. I HIGHLY recommend this if you have pore problem, black heads, white heads, coarseness on your facial skin and things like that. It is very smoothing and it is the only exfoliating scrub I found that doesn't dry out my skin. It is AWESOME! (110 ml)

The Face Shop 9 in 1 Skin Solution Toner
It is a toner that claims to do 9 beneficial things to your skin: Cleaning (pores, skin texture, makeup residue), Controlling (sensitive skin, skin stress, pH balance) , and Caring (skin tones, skin moisture, skin elasticity). Just so you know, toner is one of the products that I run out almost immediately because I use adequate amount of it twice a day (morning & night). This supersize toner (400ml) is awesomeness in a bottle. The product itself does the job well and the packaging is so practical - it comes in a pump so it is very easy to dispense compared to other toner in a regular bottle. It also has a citrus smell in it that makes it so refreshing. Finally, I got it on  sale which only cost me 7,000 won ($7) , regular price is 9,000 won ($9).

Missha Time Revolution Wrinkle Cure Silky Lotion (my daytime moisturizer)
It is an anti-aging face lotion/moisturizer for fatigued and stress skin. It claims to give moisture, vitality and elasticity to your skin. I have been using this product for close to 5 years now and I'm an avid fan of this moisturizer. I especially use this at daytime because it acts perfectly as a preparation for my makeup. It has a very moisturizing and silky/dewy finish to it that gives my skin a healthy glow. I sometimes use it as my eye cream because it has a similar consistency. I should also add that a little goes a long way with this; I believe I have used 4-5 bottles of this already. I probably will use this product forever as long as they don't discontinue it. (130ml)

Missha Time Revolution White Cure Radiance Lotion (my night moisturizer)
It is a brightening emulsion/skin moisturizer that clears up dull complexion and brightens pigmented, rough skin. It contains highly concentrated brightening ingredients that create radiating skin by providing moisture and nutrients needed for damage skin. It also balances out oil-moisture level. I use this product at night because it is less tacky and absorbs faster than the wrinkle cure silky one (featured above). I also think that the brightening effect of this one might work better when I am not exposing myself outside - weird but that's how I think so. I would say that I find the previous one (wrinkle cure silky lotion) more moisturizing than this one. (130 ml)

Etude House Collagen Moistfull Cream
This is a collagen cream with elastic texture that hydrates the skin. It claims to keep the skin hydrated, smooth, and fresh longer for a youthful, water-bouncy skin. You're supposed to use it like a moisturizer but I use it as an eye cream instead because I am already satisfied with the moisturizer I talked about above. This has a very cooling effect so I love to put it on my undereye area after applying my moisturizer. I only have the sample size and have only been using it for 3 weeks now so I hope to give more in-depth review about it in the next couple of months when I am fully familiar with how it works on my skin.

The Face Shop 24k Gold Mask
It is a royal jelly golden gel mask which claims to bring back skin vitality and firmness through 24K gold and royal jelly. I use this mask 2-3 times a month. It gives me an added moisture that penetrates deeper to my skin. However, I don't seem to grasp the idea behind the 24k gold here. It didn't seem to do much on my skin; the moisturizing effect is good though. The only downside about this product is the design of the mask- it is divided horizontally so you have to apply half section of your face first. I found it troublesome and  it has a very slippery texture that slides off my face easily. So, I have very limited movements when I'm wearing this stuff on my face.

Foodaholic Snail Mask
It is a snail essence mask that contains snail secretion, which claims to provide optimum skin moisture that nourishes and improve skin elasticity. I know you might think it is gross to use snail secretion on your face, but it actually is not. It doesn't even smell gross, it just have a nice slimy texture that is very very  moisturizing. I would actually recommend this more than the 24k above. You don't have to find this exact brand. Most snail masks are just the same. You should give it a try it is really good for your skin especially after travelling and you feel like your skin has lost its natural moisture. I use this once or twice a week depending on my skin condition.

Missha M Prism Luminous Mist

This mist is made from moringa oil that promises to give your skin a lustrous, luminous glow. You can use this product before and/or after your makeup application. It helps prepare your skin for makeup and it takes away that cakey look after you apply your makeup. I use this as a finishing spray to keep my makeup in place and at the same time  give me a luminous glow to make my skin look healthier. However, be warned that I won't recommend this for oily girls. It works best for my skin because I have normal to dry skin condition. 

You can also listen and watch me on YouTube talking about these products.


That's it, guys. I hope it gives you an idea as to what Korean skin care product to try out. I do want to remind you that what works well for me might not work as great for you. Just consider your skin type and condition. For reference, I have sensitive (acne prone), dry to normal skin condition and all the products mention above works well for my specific skin needs. I suggest assessing your skin condition first - see what you need and what ingredients could probably irritate your skin- before you purchase any of these. 

"Above all of these, I'd like to stress out that there is no better skin care routine than eating healthy and getting enough sleep."

If there is anything here that you want me to write a more detailed review please write me a comment. ^^

Useful Tip: If you are in Korea, I suggest getting these products when they're on sale. Missha has 20%~30% every 10th of the month. Also, Face Shop has a monthly sale and lasts for more than 3 days. Etude House does have an occasional sale but it is hard to pin down the exact time.

Thanks!

Keep Dolling Up,
Gelie (Jelai) xoxo


Thursday, April 23, 2015

Makeup Giveaway Winner Announced



Hello Lovelies!

As promised, the makeup giveaway winner of Benefit's Roller Lash Mascara has been chosen. There could only be one winner; if you didn't make it this time please don't lose hope. There are more makeup giveaway challenges to come in the future. 

Just simply subscribe to my blog, be  interactive (write comments, share ideas, etc), and follow me on my social media accounts.


Congratulations to the winner and thank you for sharing some wonderful ideas for my next blog post!


Keep Dolling Up,
Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

How To Store Your Single Pan Eyeshadows (Low to No Cost)




Hello dolls!
I hope you all are having a great time. I was out of touch for a couple of days because I had to take a comprehensive exam for my graduate school. Well, I'm glad I got that over with and get back to you guys.

This week's tip is not purely makeup application tip, but rather a "storage" tip.

I do love using my eyeshadow palettes from Urban Decay, Stila and Coastal Scents. However, there are single pan eyeshadows in my collection that are invaluable. The problem is, since they are small and in individual container, I tend  to always misplace and lose them. So, last week, I decided to get creative and find an innovative and viable storage solution.

So here you go...

All you need is an old DVD case, sticky tape/glue, and of course your single pan eyeshadows.

In my case, I took off the plastic/title cover of the case just to give it a nicer, neater look and feel. Then, I began pushing out the eyeshadows from their original case. Most eyeshadows have a tiny hole at the bottom of the case so you can just poke it with sharp object (like needle) and easily dispense it from its case. However, some don't have a hole so it's rather challenging, so, a word of advise, don't force it coz you might break your eyeshadows. Like in my case, I have two circular eyeshadows from Essence and I've had trouble pulling them out. What I did was I just leave them on their original case rather than pushing them too hard.

Then, use your double sided tape or glue to stick them inside the DVD case. In my case, I did not use a glue. I explained the specific reason why I opted for the tape in my YouTube video below. 


That's pretty much it, dolls. That's how you transform a junk to something more useful for your makeup. Let me know if you have brilliant makeup storage tip that you'd like to share with us.


Hope this helps!

P.S.: I will post the winner for my makeup giveaway challenge early tomorrow. So, stay tune and good luck!


Keep Dolling Up,
Gelie (Jelai) xoxo


Wednesday, April 15, 2015

How To Create A Perfect Winged Liner




A week ago, I was asked by a new acquaintance about how I precisely applied my eyeliner. I promised her I'm going to walk her through my tips on my next post. Well, I finally got the chance to do it. 

I have a couple of tricks on applying my eyeliner, but I will only be sharing one this time. This trick is especially useful when you want to create a cat eye or winged out look without being careful. This is actually the first makeup trick I learned over the years and it has never failed me. 

You will have to dig in your stationery drawer and pull out a roll of tape (any kind of tape but duct tape lol). Yeah! That's right! You'll need some tape and of course your favorite eyeliner.

See the picture and the detailed instructions right below it.


  1. Cut a pair of about an inch and a half of tape (just about enough to cover the outer corner of your eyes). Then, stick them at the back of your hands, pulling and sticking them back and forth to get rid of the tackiness. Tips: Make sure all that sticky texture is gone before proceeding. If not, you'll end up removing your foundation or face makeup.
  2. After getting rid of the extra tackiness, place the tape on the outer corner of your eyes. You can adjust the angle of the tape depending on your preference. In my case, I like to put the other end of the tape right at the tail of my brows. Make sure you are securely sticking the edge of the tape on the corner of your eyes so the products wont end up smearing under the tape and defeating the purpose.
  3. Apply your eyeshadow. You can even sloppily do it because the tape will still keep the edge clean. Tips: Using this trick is the perfect time for you to play with darker shades on the outer V of your eyes or even go smokey. It will give it more dimension. 
  4. Start drawing your eyeliner. I like to draw my wings first before drawing the inner corner. This is a personal preference. Tips: It's more flattering if your eyeliner starts thin at the inner corner and gradually grows thicker at the end. 
  5. Complete and perfect any broken lines.
  6. Carefully and slowly take off the tape.
  7. If you have any eyeshadow fall-outs below your eyes or on your cheeks, you can use the tape to get rid of them. Gently tap the tape on the affected area. 
  8. If you think the edge of your eyes are too overly drawn or obviously taped, dab the area with your ring finger to blend it out a little and to give it a more natural finish.
Here's my full face of makeup following the steps above. 



It's a no brainer! Right? Let me know what you think. Have you tried this technique before?  What other eyeliner tricks do you know?

P.S.: If you haven't done yet, make sure you subscribe or follow me on any of my social media accounts  and comment on any of my blog posts. So, you will have an entry to participate in my makeup giveaway which ends on Sunday (April 19th).

Click the icon below to follow me: 


Thanks!

Keep Dolling Up,
Gelie ( Jelai ) xoxo

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Review + Surprise: Benefit Roller Lash Mascara




Hello Dolls,
Did  you know that today marks the first month since my blog has been published? I am so pumped up about the support I am getting so far from every single one of you and I couldn't be anymore grateful. So, to thank my avid subscribers, I have a surprise for you guys. 

We'll get to that later...

I also wanted to do something a little different than usual. From time to time, I will be posting videos alongside with my blog posts. So, it means, you can also subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

This weeks product review is recorded through this video post. Please check it out and stay until the last part to learn what my awesome surprise is.


Summing up my takeaways of the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara are the pros and cons.

Pros:
  • Pretty and practical packaging
  • Jet Black formulation that makes your lashes stand out even more
  • Incredible brush and bristles design that prevent lashes from clumping
  • Lightweight and feels soft when worn
  • Doesn't flake out throughout the day
  • Very easy to remove
Cons:
  • Price 
  • Doesn't live up to its claim of not needing curler
  • Doesn't curl my lashes by itself
  • Not for volumizing, only for lengthening
  • Not waterproof

There you go, dolls. Let me know how this new medium (YouTube + blog posts) works out for you.  Remember, if you want to join the makeup giveaway, don't forget to follow the two rules I explained on the video above. 

Thanks for your love...

Keep Dolling Up,
Gelie (Jelai) xoxo


Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Peachy Coral Spring Inspired Look



Hello Lovelies!
It is the time of year again when you put away your winter coat, set aside your deep colored makeup and pull out those pastels and colorful hues from your makeup  collection. Spring is here and it means that coral, peach and pink tone shades of makeup are back. 

So, I decided to create a very neutral makeup look yet still shouts for "spring". In this look, I played around with the shades of peach and pale coral. I just think that this color is the perfect shade for a neutral look in spring. It reminds me of a soft pastel petal blossoming and the thing about this look is it's very wearable and neutral so it's perfect for daytime.


Here are the products I used to create this peachy coral spring inspired look:


Face
  • Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Makeup Foundation (250  pure beige) mixed with L'oreal True Match Foundation (G3 Golden Beige)
  • Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle (light pale)
  • CanMake Colorstick (orange salmon)
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit
  • Catrice Prime and Fine Highlighting Powder (fairy dust)
  • Mac Mineralize Skinfinish (medium plus)
  • Essence Blush (80 autumn peach)
  • Essence I Love Stage Eyeshadow Base
Eyes
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade (dark brown)
  • Clio Slim Kill Pen Eyeliner (black)
  • Coastal Scents Warm Eyeshadow Palette
  • L'oreal Butterfly Waterproof Mascara
  • Nyx Jumbo Pencil in my waterline (milk)

Lips
  • Missha Lipliner applied all over the lips before lipstick (BE01)
  • Too Faced Melted Lipstick (melted nude)
If you have questions about the products I used or if you want me to review any of these products please let me know by leaving a comment down below or by simply sending me a private message on any of my social media accounts (find the links on the upper right corner).

I hope you are enjoying the warm spring weather and if you are somewhere tropical, please head out to the beach and enjoy the water for me. :)

Keep Dolling Up,
Gelie (Jelai) xoxo

Sunday, April 5, 2015

How To Maximize The Use Of Your Cream Concealer




Ever wonder how makeup artists get those perfectly defined brows, perfectly shaped lips and flawlessly applied eye makeup? Are you really getting the most benefit and use of your cream concealer?

Today's makeup tip and trick will answer all of those questions. I will  be sharing with you three awesome ways to maximize the use of your cream concealer. If you have been using your cream concealer just to spot treat your blemishes and skin discoloration, then, you probably  are missing out on some amazing tricks that your concealer can do for you. This trick will change the way you apply your concealer and change your look in the most subtle way.

Let's begin. In this makeup tutorial, you will only need a cream concealer  (the closest color to your skin) and a small brush  with defined edges. In my case, I am using the Mac Studio Finish Concealer in NC30 and a detailer brush from Real Techniques, which comes from their face brush set. 

Perfectly Shaped Lips/Cupid Bows


If you find yourself sloppily putting on your lipsticks- which by the way I am guilty of, then your cream concealer is your friend. A bleeding lipstick (lipstick that goes out of your natural lip line) is not so flattering. It will make you look like you do not know how to use your makeup or that you are a novice teenager, who have just discovered makeup. Either ways it's not good. This trick is especially useful when you are wearing bold vivid lip colors.
  1. So, to give you those perfectly shaped cupid bows (see the circled part on the pic above), reach for your brush and cream concealer. Dab your brush to your concealer making sure you cover the tip of the bristles
  2. Carefully draw the natural shape of your lips and give more detailed attention on shaping the curves of your cupid bows (the arch  on your upper lips). 
  3. Finally, slightly press the concealer with your fingers so that the warmth from your hands melt or blends the concealer to your skin further. 
Perfectly Applied Eye Shadow or Winged Liner


This technique is especially helpful if you want to get a well-defined cat eye look (which I have two ways of doing, I'll share the other one next time). Or if you simply want to clean up the edges of your eye makeup, then this is also a good trick.
  1. You might not see anything wrong on picture 1, but if you look closely, the darker shadow goes beyond the line where I drew my winged liner. You can go out with this look it is perfectly normal. However, if you want to put more emphasis on your winged liner, then grab your concealer and brush.
  2. Draw a line where you want to get that crisp winged look and blend your brush further down to make sure you erase any smudges from your eyeshadow.
  3. Finally, use your finger to blend your concealer to your skin. Tips: Remember to use your ring finger as explained on my previous post on concealing undereye circles.
Perfectly Defined Eyebrows


As I have mentioned on my post on how to define your brows, your brows are the most important part of your makeup. So, never disregard them because they are the ones that can pull off any looks you go for. Did I mention that concealer does not only create those clean and crisp lines below and above your brows, but also help cover up the tiny hair growth you have? In days when I am so lazy to shave or pluck  any regrowth under my brows, this technique comes in  handy.
  1. After filling in your brows with brow pencil/powder/pomade, grab your brush and dab it to your cream concealer.
  2. Following the natural shape and arch of your brows, draw a line on your top and lower brow line. If you overdraw the part where your brows start, use the excess concealer from your brush to lighten that part out. Tips: For covering hair re-growth, dab more concealer and build up the coverage as you desire.
  3. Using your ring finger, blend the concealer to your skin making sure there are no harsh edges or weird patches. 
The picture below, shows a comparison of my defined and undefined look. Can you tell the subtle differences on the eyes and lips?


There you go, dolls. I hope I was clear enough. If you have questions, comments and suggestions for a next tutorial, please comment below.

You can also follow me on any of my SNS profile. See the sidebar on the right for the link.

P.S.: I am writing for ideafortoday.com. You can also see some amazing blog posts of any random topics from different bloggers out there.

Always remember! Everyday is a day to doll up,
Gelie (Jelai) xoxo