Heroine Make Impact Frame & Curl Mascara Review

In the previous post about the Heavy Rotation Maxi Lash Mascara N, I mentioned my disappointment and lack of enthusiasm for it.  As such, I pretty much immediately opened the other mascara in my "yet to use" stock, hoping it would live up to my expectations.  And it did to some point, but again, it is not a mascara I would run out to buy again.

The mascara I am talking about is the Heroine Make Impact Frame & Curl Mascara.  It claims to "Lift Your Lashes to New Heights", is waterproof (definitely a plus in my books), contains chamomile and camellia oil extracts for healthy and strong lashes and creates beautiful lashes with no clumps.  Now I would agree with everything it claims except for the no clumps.  The formula of the mascara is very wet and with the unique two sided brush, it tends to clump up my lashes and makes me look like I have a very few, but thick eyelashes - not a look that I am going for.  Maybe I used it correctly, but I didn't find that it separated my lashes.

On the plus side, it does hold my curled lashes really well and didn't make them droop down immediately like the Heavy Rotation Maxi Lash Mascara N did.  It also made my lashes look thicker, bit maybe that was because my lashes were clumped together?  I'm not sure.

But I think I will stick to my trusty Covergirl Lash Blast Volume mascara in waterproof in future. Although I have heard great things about the Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara too - I might have to give that one a try!

Heavy Rotation Maxi Lash Mascara N Review

After a long while sitting in my makeup storage, I finally tried the Heavy Rotation Maxi Lash Mascara N today.  And it was disappointing to say the least.

The mascara contains black fibers which is suppose to give you long lashes, but didn't find that it did anything for my upper lashes, it certainly didn't do anything to keep my curled lashes.  As soon as I put the mascara onto my curled lashes, they instantly dropped and didn't look like they were lengthened at all.  I tried putting on more coats of the mascara to see if that helps with the lengthening, but it just made my lashes drop even more.  I usually use waterproof mascara to keep my lashes curled, so I guess that shouldn't have been a surprise.

I wouldn't recommend this mascara to anyone unless you have naturally curled lashes.  For me, I'll just have to use it on my bottom lashes, simply to use it up and not waste my money.  I was really disappointed.

Ginvera Green Tea Whitening Marvel Gel Review

The Ginvera Green Tea Whitening Marvel Gel is one of the most popular blackhead removers in Asia, I've heard from so many people the benefits of green tea and when I saw this on holiday in KL, I decided to give it a try.

To me, it is like an exfoliant without having the exfoliating beads and grains which means that it is not abrasive as the other brands that I have used.  I personally think that it is fun to gently massage the gel into my skin and then slowly see and feel bits of dead skin start to appear.

Although I do liked the Ginvera Green Tea Whitening Marvel Gel for being so effective and gentle, I found that it whitened the my skin a bit too much with regular use - which meant that my face was whiter than the rest of my body, not something that I personally like.  I have since started using it only once a fortnight which works out better for me.  I would definitely recommend giving this gel a try if you haven't already, especially if you on the look out for an exfoliant which is non-abrasive.

Silk Naturals Blush Review

I brought my first blush from Silk Naturals back in 2009 and loved it.  I love how there are so many colours to choose from and they have dupes for well-known and more expensive brands are a fraction of the price.

I now have four colours from them and my favourites would have to be Lovelace and Tart.   All these apply sheer and are buildable, which is perfect for me.

Left to Right: Wish You Were Here, Tart, Lovelace, Stardust

I haven't brought from them recently as the blushes last so long, but I would definitely recommend them and will continue to purchase from Silk Naturals as I think they're amazing.  The full size blushes come in 10 gram jars containing (containing about 3.5 grams of blush) and the best thing is that they also come in sample sizes - which means that I can try out colours that I'm not sure about or don't usually wear.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner and REN Clarimatte Clarifying Toner Review

I was never one to use toners - I didn't know what they were used for and what benefit they had.  I always thought of toners as an extra step that I didn't need in my routine.

During the worst of my acne breakout, I decide to research about toners and found that there was a lot of positive reviews on the Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner.  A lot of the reviewers mentioned that it helped significantly with their breakouts and scarring, so I decide to give it a try.

The instructions said to use the toner morning and night after washing and cleansing my face and I did for the first week, but I soon found that although it did help a little with my acne, my face was becoming unusually oily and shiny around my t-zone.  My skin is usually dry and quite sensitive, so I drop my usage to once a day for the next two weeks - but it still made my face oily.  

That's when I decided to try the REN Clarimatte Clarifying Toner.  I've used this for about four months now, once a day in the morning before applying my moisturiser and it hasn't made me oily or broken me out more.  I'm on my second bottle and I really do like it, it gets rid of all the excess oil or dirt/dust that is on my face from overnight and make my skin feel fresh.

Out of the two toners, I would definitely recommend the REN Clarimatte Clarifying Toner.  It didn't dry my skin and cause me to be oily, and has helped me to clear my acne.  I found that the Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner was too strong for me and stripped my skin of moisture, but what I liked about it was the design of the bottle, especially the nozzle. 

I brought both products from Mecca Cosmetica in Australia for $24 each,

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask Review

So I finally got around to using the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask that I purchased from Shop at Korea a while back and I can't say that it did much for me.

The mask itself is a thick consistency and felt nice and cool on my skin.  I left it on for about 15 minutes until it dried up and washed it off with warm water.  My skin felt clean but I wouldn't say that it is an amazing product.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, occasionally have a bad acne breakouts and thought that this would help dry them up, but I have used other clay masks that I think work better such as the Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask.

It was nice to try, it didn't break me out and is great if you just want a clay mask to use. But for me personally, I wouldn't purchase it again.

 

                 

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara Review

I have tiny bottom lashes and heard varying reviews about the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara.  Some reviews say that it is amazing where as others say that the mascara is an absolute waste of money.

My opinion?  I think that it works wonderfully on the short, thin bottom lashes that I have.  The tiny brush allows me to coat every single lash and makes them look a lot longer.  I usually use the Cover Girl Lash Blast mascara (the orange one) over the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara to make my lashes stand out more.  My lashes look amazing when I do that.

However, I do think that it is expensive at $28 AUD for the very small 2.5ml tube.  It's not something that I would continuously repurchase due to the price and I find that it also dries out quite quickly.  It is a nice to have, but definitely not a necessity.

Shu Uemura Brow Ink Review

I know my last post was about an eyebrow product that I loved, so I thought I would continue with the eyebrow thing because I found something new!

It was time to do my eyebrows again last week and the person doing my brows introduced me to this this new Shu Uemura Brow Ink product.  It is a waterproof liquid eyebrow colour and when she put it on, it made my eyebrows look so natural and full looking.  It looked so good, I had to get one.  I got the colour Palm Beige, which is the same shade that I have in the Brow Manicure and have been using it everyday since I got it.  It lasts all day and does not rub off easily.  

The product itself is quite small and would be great for travelling.  It has a thin but sturdy brush applicator which applies the ink to brows perfectly.  The only thing that I don't like about it is that I feel like a lot of the brow ink goes to waste as the brush picks up so much ink and even though I try to remove most of the colour on the side of the package before taking the brush completely out, there is still too much colour on the brush to directly use on my brows.  I usually swipe the brush the back of my hand to remove the excess colour before filling in my brows, otherwise I end up with brows that have spots of dark colour from too much ink.

I have found that this has made my brow routine much quicker, as I use this brow ink to fill in my brows and then go in with an eyebrow pencil to define the shape.  Using a pencil takes much longer for me!  I then follow with the brow manicure to hold my brow hairs in place.

I would definitely be repurchasing if and when I run out.  But I think it will last me quite a long time!

Shu Uemura Eyebrow Manicure Review

I've been using the Shu Uemura Eyebrow Manicure for the past 3-4 years now and am still in love with it.  It's basically a mascara for your eyebrows and keeps your eyebrows in place.  I have it in two colours, Ash Brown and Palm Beige.  I use Ash Brown when I have darker hair, but now that I've dyed my hair a lighter brown shade, I'm using Palm Beige.  It's perfect as it lightens my eyebrows just enough so that they match perfectly with my hair colour.

I love how the applicator is a roundish, small ball shape which makes it so easy to apply.  I do notice that I sometimes get colour on the skin outside of my eyebrow area (if that makes sense) if I'm not careful.  But that's easily fixed with a cotton tip and makeup remover or with some concealer.

I've used other brands before and found that they either didn't last long or were too glittery/shiny and unnatural looking.  Plus this works perfectly with the Shu Uemura Eyebrow Pencils that I use and love!

Tsururi Pore Cleansing Review

I'm can't tell if this product works or not.  Tsururi Pore Cleansing contains Moroccan ghassoul, salt and charcoal scrub and claims clean deep into pores and pull out impurities.

This scrub is thick and charcoal black.  Once you start rubbing it onto your skin, it starts to heat up.  I like the feeling of the warmed product, but I'm not sure if it actually does anything to improve my pores.

I brought this at an Asian beauty store in Melbourne for about $15 (sorry I can't remember the exact price).  As I haven't seen a significant difference, I don't think I would purchase it again.

Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm Review

The most important thing for me in terms of lip products is that it doesn't dry my lips out.  Unfortunately whenever I wear the Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm, my lips always get dry.  Even though the name says moisturing, my lips feel parched and get cracked whenever I use this.

Similar to the Too Faced La Creme Colour Drench Cream review I did earlier, I'm disappointed.  I have the colour 07 Super Strawberry, which I thought would be a perfect, everyday sheer colour.  Maybe there is an ingredient in both of these lip products that don't suit me?  I'll have to have a closer look so I don't waste anymore of my money on things that won't work for me.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask Review

The Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask has been a one of the best masks that I have used to combat my acne.  Ever since I started using this a month ago, I feel like my skin has cleared up so much.

I currently use it twice a week, more if I feel like I need it and only apply the mask to my chin and sides of my cheeks, where I find I get the most spots.  It's a thick consistently and is obviously charcoal black (though it doesn't look like it from the picture above).  The mask is easy to apply and I leave it on until it becomes dry and feels tight on my skin.  I really feel that it sucks up all the bad things in my skin.

I really love this product and will repurchase once I run out.  But I think this will last me a while, I still have more than half the tube left!

Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Lipstick Review

I think it was my second or third time getting my eyebrows shaped at the Shu Uemura counter in David Jones, when I had nothing I needed or wanted to try so I ended up picking up one of the Rouge Unlimited Lipsticks (eyebrow shaping was $45, now $65 I believe, and is redeemable on their products).

And I'm so happy that I did!  The colour I decided on was M PK 376, which is a matte pink shade (maybe fuchsia).  The makeup artist told me that that it was a very popular colour among Koreans and is always sold out at that store. Apparently they just got stock in that day and only had one left in stock.  

Although it is a matte colour, it felt really nice to apply and didn't dry my lips out at all.  And it lasts quite a long time on my lips.  

I accumulated a few more (a nude, coral/pink and red colour) whilst I was on holidays in Asia and I think when I did my eyebrows again.  They are so much more affordable in Asia than buying them in Australia!  Although I did notice that Shu Uemura were one of the brands that have brought their prices down in the last year to be more in line with prices in other countries.   

All in all, I really love how good they feel on my lips - so very moisturising and comfortable.  And the packaging is great too!

Left to right:  Spiky Rose, BG 93, CR 330 and M PPK 373.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick Review

I've had the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in Warm Beige (3.5) for about 6 months now and use it as a concealer.  

I was initially looking at buying a new concealer to cover up my acne and scars when I was breaking out.  But the makeup artist suggested that I buy the foundation stick instead, as it was basically the same and you get much more in the foundation stick compared to the concealer stick.

When she applied the foundation on me, it looked and felt great.  It covered my acne scars and was a perfect colour match!  She told me it was one of their best sellers and that it was long lasting.  I brought it straight away.  In hindsight, I probably should have waited to see how it felt after a couple of hours.  But obviously I didn't and have learnt my lesson.

After a using it continuously for the past six months (as both a foundation and concealer), I found that it didn't last long on my skin.  It's still a perfect match in terms of colour and looks good when I first apply it but then after an hour or so, it became greasy even with setting powder and makeup setting spray.

It's $65 in Australia and I brought it when Myer was having a 10% off sale on all beauty products.  I'm trying to use it all up, as it was quite expensive and won't be repurchasing.

Etude House Water Color Blusher Review

I picked up my first Etude House Water Color Blusher in No.1 Pink when I was on holidays in KL.  I don't usually use cream or liquid blushes, I much prefer powder ones, but really liked how easy it was to use and how it comes in a hygienic squeeze-y tube.

As the name suggests, it is a water/liquid type blush.  I just squeeze a little onto my fingers and blend it into my cheeks after foundation.  The colour can be a sheer wash or built up depending on how much you use.  There is no distinct smell to it either which I like.

So when I was on holidays in Taiwan last year, and saw a Etude House store I picked up the colour No.3 Apricot and No.4 Lilac as well.  My favourite is still the No.1 Pink.

Lush Ultrabalm Review

I love the Lush Ultrabalm All Purpose Balm.  I usually use it at night on my feet and elbows which tend to be drier than the rest of my body.  When I wake up the next morning, my skin is so soft.  I was amazed the first time I used it.

I was looking for something other than the Lucas Paw Paw Ointment (which I personally found didn't do anything for me) and the Lush sales person told me to try this one.  And I'm so happy I listened to her!

It is a tad greasy when you first put it on, but within 10 minutes or so it gets absorbed into the skin.  I love it!

Too Faced La Creme Colour Drenched Lip Cream Review

I have wanted to try the Too Faced La Creme Colour Drenched Lip Cream in Spice Spice Baby for the longest time, but always found a way to sway myself buying it (mainly due to the price).

That is until a few months ago when beautybay.com was having a sale on top of the sale prices!  And it was in my cart and paid within a few minutes.

The gold packaging is so pretty and I love the colour.  However, I am sad to admit that I was and still am disappointed.  The first day I used it, I found that it made my lips feel dry and cracked even though it claims to contain hydrating moisturisers.  I felt like I had to keep using my lip balm all day.

I wouldn't purchase another one of these lip creams.  I'm going still use this though because I like the colour so much, but I make sure I have lip on hand all the time.  

Shop at Korea Purchase

I recently made an online purchase on Shop at Korea (http://www.shopatkorea.com).  It was the first time that I have bought anything from them and I have to admit I was um-ing and ah-ing for a quite a long time as I had never heard of them before and couldn't find any reviews either.

But I am so happy with my purchase and their service!

The only reason I found them was because I have been looking for a new skin serum for my face and wanted to try the HERA Cell Essence serum.  The only place I could find it at a reasonable price that would ship to Australia.

In addition to the HERA Cell Essence, I also purchased:

• Innisfree Green Barley Clear Scrub
• Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask

Before shipping my goods, I was sent an email advising me to double check my order before it is shipped.  Once shipped, I was sent a shipping confirmation email and an email with information on how I could track my parcel which also include a photo of my order.  Look at all the free samples and how protected my items were packaged!

I was so excited to receive my order directly from Korea within 2 weeks. Below are all the items I received.

HERA Cell Essence - I have only used this for one day so I don't have much to say about this yet. But I can say that it doesn't have the slightly unpleasant smell that the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence does (though the smell didn't bother me after a few uses).  The essence is cloudy/milky...it isn't clear.  I like how it comes with cotton squares too.

I haven't used either of the Innisfree Green Barley Clear Scrub or the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask yet.  I'm waiting to finish my open ones first, but I've heard good things about them them.

In addition to the three items I purchased, also received the below samples:

• HERA Age Away Intensive Emulsion
• HERA Age Away Intensive Water

• HERA Magic Starter in 02 Inner Glow

• HERA Rich Curling Mascara

• HERA Rouge Holic (lipstick compact)

• Innisfree Green Persimmon Pore Dual Kit (2 of them!)

• Innisfree It's Real Squeeze Mask in Black Berry

I haven't used any of the products long enough to be able to tell if they are good or not.  And some of samples I will most likely be giving away to friends.

But I wanted to let you know that if you're deciding whether or not to shop from Shop at Korea, please do!  I'm really happy with my purchase!