beauty

The Big C - Sephora Sample Roundup with Clinique

 
Clinique Superprimer Universal Face Primer & Take The Day Off Makeup Remover

CLINIQUE SUPERPRIMER UNIVERSAL FACE PRIMER (top)

I'm so happy I got this sample when it was first introduced!  I've had quite a few primers in my beauty junkyard, so I wouldn't have bought a full-size of this straight up. My usual problem with primer is that even the oil-free formula makes my skin oily almost as soon as I apply it on my face.  This Clinique primer kept my skin matte for much longer - I did not need to blot until after lunch. 

I've already re-purchased the full size, and have converted to the other version of this primer -  The "Colour Corrects" that comes in a light orange color.  Both work wonders. Give them a try!

Available At Sephora

 

CLINIQUE TAKE THE DAY OFF - MAKEUP REMOVER FOR LIDS, LASHES & LIPS (Bottom)

I use cleansing oil to remove makeup and wouldn't go back to the old ways if you pay me a million bucks!  Also, if you follow my journey on Instagram, you know I often go the no-makeup or basic makeup route with little to none eye makeup and light lip colors, so I rarely have the need to use a dedicated makeup remover for these areas.  At the same time, I must say that this product has a very gentle formula - No burning around the eyes and it melts away the makeup quite effortlessly, meaning less pulling and tugging around our delicate eye area. 

I wouldn't purchase the full size since I don't have a use for it, but I would recommend to those who use eye makeup remover on a regular basis because of its gentleness on the skin.

Available At Sephora

 

Thanks for reading!
What are some of your fave Clinique products?

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Discovering BEYOND Cosmetics 

#beyond #exploreseoul #beautydiscovery
Beyond Cosmetics Alice in Wonderland

My first exposure to Beyond Beauty happens during my shopping trip in Myeongdong, Seoul.  The low-key staff there is in big contrast to other beauty stores in the area where I'm often fighting to get away from the sales people who are trying to drag me into their stores.  This is definitely a place I want to re-visit on my next trip to Seoul!

Eco Beauty

Beyond Beauty is an eco-conscious brand that follows 10 core eco values.  These core values focus not only on protecting our skin but also our environment.

Credit: http://www.beyond.co.kr/en/index.jsp

Credit: http://www.beyond.co.kr/en/index.jsp

Alice in Wonderland

One of Beyond Beauty's main attractions is their Alice in Wonderland collection. The collection consists of cosmetics items - cushions, lip care, nail polish, blushes.  The packaging is absolutely adorable with licensed Disney graphics from Alice in Wonderland.  I'm very bummed, however, that I the shades/colors from this collection don't work too well on my skin tone.  Not panicking...as there are plenty of other goodies I can still buy!

Good Selection & great Testing Station

Beyond Beauty has a good selections of both skin care and cosmetics.   While this particular location was on the small side,  all the displays were very easy to shop. There's also a neat testing station (photo on right side below) equipped with seating and a sink for ease of product testing and washing up. 

My Goodies

While the brand also carries skin care collections, I am more drawn to their cosmetics items because the packaging is absolutely adorable! 

What I bought from Beyond Cosmetics in Myeongdong, Seoul.

BLUSHES

"Lovely-Up Pang Pang Cheek" Blushes from Beyond Beauty brand.

Each one comes with a puff with a cute bow on it.  And with a name like "Lovely Up Pang Pang Cheek", who wouldn't love them?

I chose Apricot 01 (top) and Peach 03 (bottom).  The "peach" shade is a bit deceiving because the actual color, as you can tell, is essentially pink.  Both shades are super light on my medium-tone skin and I have to re-apply about 3 times to get enough color to show.

EYE SHADOWS

Eye shadows from Beyond Cosmetics.

Most of their eye shadows are softer tones with lots of shimmer or metallic texture.  Probably ok to use in moderation during the day and most suitable for nighttime use.

Lovely Up Eye Shadow in Pink #01  An eye shadow duo of golden shimmer and matte peach.  Once I dip into the golden shimmer side, I realize why this is called "pink" - Underneath the top layer of shimmery gold, there is a hidden layer of pink shimmer, so when it's applied, this becomes a golden shimmer with a hint of pink. How clever is that?

Single Eye Shadow in Intro Beige #02 A metallic beige shade that is pretty shiny.  I'd recommend using this at nighttime. 

Single Eye Shadow in Mandarin Garden #06  Another metallic shade in sharp orange color.  For both Single's, the effect looks quite different under indoor and natural lighting. 

Indoor vs Natural Light Effect  I notice the difference once I start editing these two swatch photos.  Under indoor light (left below), the two Single Eye Shadow shades are shinier and the Mandarin Garden #06 seems more orange.  Under natural light (right below), the Intro Beige #02 seems somewhat muted while Mandarin Garden #06 is less orange.  This effect is typical of shimmery and metallic eye shadows, and I thought to share this to help you gauge whether it's suitable to use during work hours (under indoor light) based on your line of work.   

Swatches of eye shadows from Beyond Cosmetics. Indoor lighting.
Swatches of eye shadows from Beyond Cosmetics. Natural lighting.

LIP CARE

Lip crayon, lip balm, tinted lip from Beyond Beauty.

These lip items vary in color intensity while all three are very moisturizing.  See swatch photo below in this order:

Swatches of lip crayon, lip balm, tinted lip from Beyond Beauty.

Lovely Up Lip Crayon in #08  This is colorless and you can barely see it in the swatch photo, but it is packed with lots of shine.  Strictly for moisturizing & adding shine to lips.  Perfect to use as a base if you're applying matte lipsticks.

Rich Color Tint Balm in #08  The bright red color is intense, like Snow White's lip color.  Very moisturizing.  However, if you get any on your skin during application, it can get quite messy as it is hard to completely remove due to the intense color.

Chiffon Tinted Rouge in #05  Similar to the Tint Balm, this gloss also has intense color.  It is a perfect compliment to the tint balm and can be used alone or together to add more shine to your lips.  I also like the applicator a lot as it has a pointed tip for more precise application and it also picks up just enough product for each stroke.

So lovely...

Beyond is such a lovely beauty brand.  I wish more e-commerce sties in the U.S. would carry their products!  Among the more legitimate online sources, Koredepart has a small selection, but it is mostly skin care.  I'm definitely re-visiting Beyond shops on my next trip to Seoul!

Are you a Beyond fan?
What are your favorites?

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Travel-Friendly Face Masks from Goodal

 
Travel-friendly face masks from Korean beauty brand, Goodal.

GOODAL FUN FUN TRAVEL KIT

TRAVEL-READY FACE PACKS

I was initially drawn to the packaging before I even knew what this was for!  But besides the ultra cute packages, these packs* are great and I love how it comes with a variety of benefits.  I have since re-purchased these lovely packs a few times.  My only wish is that I could buy each one individually as I prefer some over the others as noted below.

*For those who are new to Korean beauty, face masks are sometimes referred to as "face packs".

Starting from top left:

Keeping Your Coconut Wash-Off Pack  Filled with a blend of coconut from the South Pacific that promises to help improve lines & textures. This pack comes with coconut pulps that feels great on my face, like a mini massage as I gently rub all over my skin.  It also has a slight cool & tingling sensation upon application that's perfect for those hot summer (or tropical) nights.

Want Night Sleep Moisture Cream Pack  This hydrating sleeping pack is filled with soothing oatmeal extract and aloe vera leaf.  Put this on before heading to bed as the very last step in your beauty routine (after nighttime moisturizer), and you'll wake up with glowy, dewy-looking skin.  This is perfect for long flights or work trips where working breakfast always starts at 7am!

Deep Clean Pore Glacial Clay Wash-Off Pack  Deep cleanse your skin with this clay mask made with Canadian glacier milk, glacial clay and green tea extracts.  With my large pores, I love using clay masks regularly to help minimize the clogging, but I try to limit this extra step to only 1-2 times a month & only the areas with large pores as any type of exfoliation (while it's needed) is actually pretty harsh on your skin. 

Want Night Sleep Brightening Cream Pack  Vitamin C is the star here.  This is also a sleeping pack that focuses on giving you brightening benefits.  My take on brightening products - I love this pack, but in order to truly maximize brightening benefit, we need to use brightening products on a consistent/daily basis as opposed to a one-time use such as this pack.  Skin tone improvement doesn't happen overnight and requires time, discipline and patience to see the fruits of our labor.  Having said that, this pack is great as a supplemental step in our quest for brighter skin!

Available At  Glow Recipe

 

$ Saving Tip 

Even though suggested usage is one pack per usage occasion, there's actually enough product in one pack for at least two pampering sessions.  Just put the open pack in a ziplock bag to minimize contamination.

 

Thanks for stopping by! 
 

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