Korean Beauty has been getting some attention, specially when beauty gurus like Michelle Phan and Professional Makeup Artists like Lisa Eldridge mention them on their channel's. I've always been really curious about it, specially as someone who started to follow kpop stars and their makeup looks. Also, Korean beauty is known to not be overpriced and with really good quality.

I've been able to try out a nice quantity of products from Korean brands so I decided to share 10 products I believe you should keep in mind if you want to try out for the first time Korean Beauty.

But keep in mind that because I want to try as many products as possible and because I really do like them, it's possible that I might do another round-up post with another 10 products in the future. But for now, here are my 10 products.

It's impossible to deny the quality of Korean Skin Care. They usually give priority to good ingredients like Glycolic Acid or Hyaluronic Acid - it's is quite hard in Western Brands. Although I would advise you to always check the ingredient list and reviews no matter what. For example, it's common to find mineral oil and lavender oil in some Cleansing Oils, which isn't the ideal to those who have sensitive skin. Without further due, here are the 6 Skin Care products I recommend you without any doubt.

Innisfree Apple Juicy Cleansing Oil

By far, the best cleansing oil I ever tried. It doesn't contain any bad ingredient although people allergic to parfum/fragrance might be a little hesitant. It's really gentle but cleanses the skin and all traces of makeup without problems. You can also use this to remove your eye makeup that it won't sting your eyes or anything like that. I have to admit that I am a bit curious to try certain cleansing balms ( like Clinique take the day off) but I'll probably repurchase this for sure. If you are looking for a cleansing oil, think about this one.

Missha Time Revolution Clear Toner

If you are familiar with Missha you know they are fairly popular because of their BB Cream and because of their Fermented Essence. This toner is part of the same line that carries that Essence and contain both BHA and AHA acids,  doesn't have any alcohol and isn't really harsh on the skin. I'm seriously thinking about promoting him as my everyday morning toner ( since I like to use something more strong at the night time like the FAB pads). I also really like this for those days where you feel your skin more sensitive and asking for more of a gentle care. I'll probably repurchase this toner around September or October.

OST C20 Vitamin C20 Serum

It's probably one of the most popular Korean Serums of all time. This serum is known to take care of scars and spots. And it's what it does. Ever since I started to use this Serum my skin has improving a lot - and when I say a lot, I mean that scars with more than 2 years are finally fading and disappearing. You just need to be careful with two things : if you happen to wear this in the morning always - ALWAYS - apply SPF ( actually, you should always apply SPF no matter what) because vitamin C makes your skin more fragile to sun exposure and don't let the bottle be exposed to sun since vitamin C is quite unstable and doesn't work nicely with sun exposure, since it oxides and the serum looses it's powder. I keep mine out of the sun and inside of the box to prevent that

Mizon Hyaluronic Acid 100 Serum

Because of Caroline Hirons recommendations I started to be quite interested in finding a good serum Hyaluronic Acid. The problem? It's quite hard to find serums with that in Europe and when you get to find them they are really expensive.  When I found this one last year I got curious. The result? I'm on my second bottle because of how much I liked it. It's perfect to use both in the night and morning time and I probably won't switching this for nothing. If you have dry skin or dehydrated skin be sure to add this to your " to try list".

Innisfree It's real Squeeze Mask in Green Tea

Sheet Mask are a huge thing in Korea. I used to not understand the hype until I tried this one. When you have one of those really long days and you need to relax or you feel like your skin needs a "pick me up" treatment, grab one of these. It's really moisturising and it does take care of your skin. The one present here is the last I have from Innisfree and I've been saving it until I'm able to repurchase more because after trying a few from Etude House, I believe these are by far better ( not that Etude House's are bad, they aren't...I just prefer the texture of these). They also have more types of masks if you are interested. Oh and they are really affordable as well.

Lioele Waterdrop Sleeping Mask

Sleeping masks are another thing that it's big in Korea. They are meant to lock in the moisture and add another boost to your skin during the night. I got this one because it's fairly popular, affordable and...it has Hyaluronic acid. Also, a little goes a long way with this mask and a tube will last more than 9 months if not a full year believe me. It also gives a really nice fresh feeling to the skin ( which we love specially during the summer)




Now into Makeup wise, their base makeup products are usually really good. Their BB creams are by far better than the western ones, although sadly they lack of a good colour selection. Because Korean Woman love their eyeliner, usually theirs is also really good. Oh their lip products are to die for. Overall, they are worth to try, but here are some specific recommendations:

3CE Full Cover Concealer
If you are looking for a dupe or something similar to the Nars Radiant Creamy concealer, try this out. I got it not only because of that but also because Bethany Y used to rave a lot about it. I had to stop using it during summer because I got a bit tanned but it's perfect for the Winter time. I'm planing on trying more concealers in the future but I'll be sure to repurchase this one. The downside is that 3CE isn't sold everywhere as easily as other brands like Etude House or Innisfree.

Holika Holika Pore Cover Base
Looking for a nice primer that takes care of hiding your pores but you happen to not like Silicone ( or being allergic...I think most people also forget that there are people allergic to silicone) ? Try this one. I actually got it because it was really affordable and since I'm not a huge fan of the Porefessional, I wanted to get something similar. I ended up getting something better. The primer has more of a creamy consistency, doesn't break me out, mess with my foundation or anything like it. I might be curious to get other type of primers, but this one has a permanent spot in my stash.

Clio Kill Black Waterproof Eyeliner
I'm still not a huge pro in what's related to eyeliner but, I have to say that his is by far the best I've come across. It's super pigmented and it doesn't fade or anything during the day. Mine is starting to dye ( well, it's been one year since I got it so, it's quite normal) and I'll be getting a backup soon. And possibly the brown one as well. This one has a brush tip but, if you prefer there's also the felt tip option as well.

Etude House Dear My Wish Lip Talk
What can I say? I have six shades of this and I love them. I dare to say that I like this lipsticks more than my MAC lipsticks ( although shades like Craving will always have a spot in my heart). Their scent is amazing, the packaging speaks for itself and this is one of those lipsticks that I apply, live my life, eat, drink and I'll still have lipstick on. I'm still thinking about getting the two Nudes they have in the Range to finish the collection.


There obviously more products I could recommend. Like the Etude House BB Cushion or the Aritaum Blushes. But like I said, I still want to try out more products so, I might mention them in the future.
Do you have any recommendation?
I hope you liked this post. Take care everyone, have a nice day!

 

With Love,
Diana

So stating with the skin care items. I've been taking care of my skin for a while and I'm finally getting into that point where I am happy and confident about it. I still have some marks and issues to take care but overall, I'm happy. 

One of the things I always need to have with me is a cleansing oil. I like and tend to remove my makeup like this and so far it's the more effective way of doing so. When my old cleansing oil was dying, I decided that I should find something new to try...and that when the battle began. I wanted the best cleansing oil possible without spending too much money. I didn't wanted anything with mineral oil or with angry ingredients ( yes ingredients get angry and start the hunger games on my face. not really but...I tried to make a Joke, I really did).Most of the ones I was finding, even from brands like Skin Food The FaceShop had mineral oil or in cases like Etude House they had specific oils ( like lavender oil) that kinda irritate my skin when used with time. After a long research for products and ingridients on CosDNA.com , I found out that the Innsifree Apple Juicy Cleansing Oil is probably the safest cleansing oil I've ever found. It has a really nice texture - it's not that rich or that light, cleanses everything without making my skin itchy and there isn't any problem so far in terms of using this to remove eye makeup. Actually, it's amazing to remove waterproof makeup, specially mascara and eyeliner. It has the lovely smell of Green Apple. The only downside of this is that it had fragrance and that might be bad for some people. But so far, I'm really happy. I'll do a proper review during July for sure. 

Also, there is a new craze around sleeping masks in Europe. The body shop and other brands have been lauching them but...they are too expensive to my taste. After using a sample of the Lioele Water drop Sleeping mask, I fest in love. It has this really fresh texture and it doesn't take too much time to settle. When I wake up in the morning after using this, my skill is always looking fresh, hydrated and good looking. I don't regret getting this. 

As a backup, I also got the Mizon Hyaluronic Acid serum, which is now a stapple in my routine. I won't be swiching him in the future, specially when it costs half the price of a Hydraluron tube.
Lastely but not least, I tried a sample of a Innisfree Green Tea Sheet Mask and I felt in love. I had to order more and so far I only have one left. I'm going to try a few from Etude House but so far I'm a fan. My skin has liking sheet masks and now I understand why Koreans love them so much! 

Lastly but not least, I didn't went that crazy on the makeup side this time ( yes, this time...). I didn't have any item similar to what I got here so...it kinda makes it okay right?

So, Etude House is known for their super cute a princess style packaging and recently they teamed up with a illustrator and launched a collection called " dreaming swan" and that collection is all around ballerinas and ballet-style packaging. And yes, I have a soft spot for that kind of thing...

One of the things they have is the limited edition cushion cases. They had in the past one for Cinderella and another one for Minnie....but none of them made me want to get them...Until the Dreaming Swan Cushion Case was released. They have 3 different version but the purple one just owned my heart. It's made of sturdy plastic and the top is better than what I thought - it's not a sticker or anything like that. 

Because you cannot do anything just a cushion case ( you could but...it's a waste..) I got a refill of the Etude House Precious Mineral Moist Any Cushion in the shade Natural Beige w13 - which is a perfect match so far...with beach days it will get too light but I'll rock this during the school time because IT'S AMAZING. It's super light weight, comfortable and makes my skin look amazing. If you are looking for something with tone of coverage this isn't for you but if you want something that makes your skin look like your skin but better this is the deal. I almost ordered another case and another shade but...I already have foundation shades with my summer shade and I need to use them instead. 

Also from the Dreaming Swan collection I got the Etude House Shine Volumer , which is basicaly an highlighter that you can use both on your eyes and on your cheecks. I really like for the inner part of my eyes, although it bugs me that I need to use an extra brush for that. But I really like, specially because once it sets it doesn't budge and leaver sparkles of glitter around my face. 

And lastly but not least, I finally got a proper gel eyeliner. I went for the Holika Holika Jewel Liner because it had nice reviews and so far I'm happy. It's creamy and doesn't smudge or fade during the day. It was also fairly affordable. 

So, what do you think? 

I hope that you enjoyed the post and I wish you all a good day. Take care everyone!

With love, 

Diana. 

So yeah, two months of favourites in one post. And you would think that I would have a lot to share. I actually do...but since I've been experiencing with so many products, I had to condense everything into what I've been really loving.

I'm still working on processing tones of products, my thoughts, taking photos, editing and writing. So yes...I might be able to do a specially week with a new review per day...what do you guys think?

Anyway, let's jump into the favourites.

Guys...Girls...We need to talk really seriously about the Too Faced Natural Eyes palette. I got this palette in February and I've been loving it ever since. Whenever I have a big day or an event were I want/need to have my eye makeup all done without any type of creasing, it's this that use. It gets to the point were I was out of my house for more than 10 hours and my eye makeup was fully intact...If that's not good, I don't know what it is. 

After falling in love with Sugarbomb from Benefit and during a trip to a Sephora to get a special gift for a special lady - no worries, you guys will eventually understand for who it was in a couple of days - I looked to Coralista and to Rockateur and...they made it into my stash. 

Coralista is a beautiful peach blush that I'll be sure to rock during this upcoming spring and summer. It gives a gorgeous look to my cheeks and I don't know what I've been doing this whole time without it. 

Rockateur on the other side is a darkish pink. It's my " I don't know what a heck I should place on my face" kinda of blush. It doesn't matter the look or the event, it will look amazing and making me look good. 

For those who don't know, during this current month I've been playing with some new Korea produts - reviews are coming, I promise! - and of the things that I really wanted to get was a Lip Concealer. After some research, some out of stock options, I ended up going for the The SAEM Lip Concealer. I really like how it comes on a tube, making quite easy to apply and later spread the product - it also makes it nice for MUAs since it's more hygienic. It's not drying at all, leaving a "some-kind-of" powdery feel. Almost like velvet. 

Also, as I mentioned I really loved the Natural Eyes Palette, but there was another eye product that really caught my eye - the Kiko Color Up shadow stick in 10. Because it's matte, I can use it as my base for any type of look (it's what I've been doing) and I can see how this guy is also helping my eye makeup to look polished and "uncreased" for a little longer. 

Lastly but not least, the Holika Holika Sweet Cotton Primer is so far my favourite primer. I love it's packaging, smell and texture. Doesn't mess with my makeup at all - I'm looking at you porefessional - and doesn't have that really usual "silicone based" texture that most primers have.  Although I want to get a more hydrating primer and try out the new Etude House primer, I'll for sure repurchase this guy without thinking twice. 

So these are my favourites. Besides this the only thing I can really call a favourite is the Assassin's Creed Unity and my beloved Xbox (yes, I'm currently playing video games)

Thank you everyone for reading!

Take care, have a nice day!

With Love,

Diana.  

Finally! Monthly Favourites...

So, before anyone asks "where's the Halloween look" the deal is...I had too much work and zero time an patience to do it. I tried, but the shoots were horrible and I'm not going to present something that I'm not comfortable with. I'm sorry, but I won't. But, I'll try to do an Autumn inspired look. I won't promise anything, specially when I have tone of work, assignments and tests to do. But I'll survive.

Second, what do you think about the new look? It was and still is , a work in progress. I got inspired by Gh0stparties look (and before anyone says "oh you're coping " I e-mailed her asking about if she thought that it was too much and that I would be more than willing to do change if it was necessary and Kate, who is the sweetest girl, said it was okay to be inspired. And even complimented my photos - yes I jumped like a little kid. But I don't care. It made my day)

Now...favourites. I'll be sincere, I didn't tried out too much makeup, mostly because there wasn't much time. My daily routine consisted in concealing, doing my brows, setting and lipsticks. But Skin Care kept the same...with the exception of some new things. 

Lime Crime's Centrifuchsia is a good pick-me-up lipstick, specially for crazy days were I don't have too much time to spend on my eyeliner or that kind of thing. It's super pigmented and easy to wear.

In therms of Skin Care, there were two items added to my routine recently and they deserve a spot. The Mizon Hyaluronic Acid Serum is the bomb. If you are looking for a serum with hyaluronic acid that helps you with moisture, you need to try this one. I'll be sure to review it during this month.

And the Etude House Real Art Cleansing Oil in Light was a happy finding. It's lighter than the The Body Shop cleansing oil. I'll probably update to the Moisture version during December and January but, I can see this one to be a good choice too. My only concern is it's citric smell. Don't worry, I'll be reviewing it as well. 

And keeping the Etude House theme, the Drawing eyebrow pencil is so good. The best I've tried so far and I'm really happy with it, specially because it stays on it's own for the longest time. Yes, I'm happy. 

And finishing with concealers, you all know why I love the Maybelline Fit me Concealer - easy to apply and leaves a good look. Now, paired with the SkinFood Dark Circles concealer - a perfect duper to the Benefit Erase Paste - it's even better. This duo has been taking care of my dark circles during the all month.

And to take care of my spots, there's nothing like the Aritaum Full Cover concealer, which made me rethink about getting the Full Cover from MUFE, since it's so good and I don't have a special need for another one. It can look cakey ,but nothing that a good thermal water won't help. 

Lastly but not least, the Holika Holika Cotton Pore Primer is the best primer I ever tried, It's not "silicony" and yet, took care of my pore without issues and smells so good. I'm currently thinking about getting the mist/setting set and the bb cream from this line soon because of how good it is. 

So here are my favourites, thank you very much for reading. 

I'll be working on a few posts during this month too, including wishlists and gift ideas. 

Take care everyone, have a nice day!