Beauty Abroad
By the Muse on October 14, 2008
I wanted to address G-Market today in a post since I get many, many, many e-mails asking me about it, have I ever used it, what’s it like, how do I use it, etc….
Instead of the hassle of going through 200 or more e-mails on the topic I thought a post would be appropriate in answering the questions I get daily about it.
I’ve been collecting Korean Cosmetics for about a two years, possibly a year and a half, unsure exactly when I started. I get asked daily where I get my Korean makeup and the answer is I have a friend who lives in Seoul (the largest city and capital of South Korean) who ships me over random items that I ask her to purchase for me.
I have not seen anyone else aside from E-bay and Gmarket who sell Korean Cosmetics. I haven’t really seen many stores in Manhattan either that carry Korean makeup but maybe I am looking in the wrong locations. If I do come across a shop that carry the lines they are normally very out of date items.
If you live within a heavily populated Asian community you my be lucky enough to have a few Japanese, Korean, Chinese specialty shops that carry cosmetics from abroad.
If you’re unfamiliar with Gmarket allow me to briefly explain.
Gmarket is much like E-bay however instead of bidding on items you are purchasing them out right for buy it now prices. All items are priced extremely low and as close to retail as anything I’ve seen on the Internet and many popular brands I’ve discussed at Musings such as Etude House, Banila Co, VOV, etc…can be located at retail prices on Gmarket.
Even though Gmarket prices are amazing I have some rants about the service which is why I do not recommend using it unless you have a ton of cash to spare.
I’ve tried Gmarket twice and have noticed a few problems with the service and they are as follows:
Virtually no Customer Service at all.
During my first order I had some confusion of whether the funds I sent over actually went through so I decided to shoot over an inquiry about my order. This was 3 months ago and still they have not replied. Lucky enough the order arrived safely but having my money hang out in limbo while no one replies stinks.
No English speaking reps or members.
I don’t believe anyone that works for Gmarket or anyone who is a registered member that is selling speaks in English. I’ve successfully contacted a seller when asking a question only to receive a reply in Korean. This wasn’t a problem as I had someone translate it for me however if you’re virtually clueless about the Korean language this can be frustrating. This leads me to believe that the reps that work at Gmarket, run Gmarket, Etc…do not speak English either. Although Gmarket has a English sub-site I don’t believe anyone technically speaks English.
Shipping Prices are obscene at first glance!
Now shipping via Gmarket is fairly reasonable however as you add items into your cart from other sellers or even one particular seller the price goes up and up and up and up! This figure is a set estimate and you’ll later receive a credit on the shipping amount however it’s ridiculous having to set out $40, $60, or more dollars when you have 8-10 items in your cart! As mentioned you do get a credit however that credit is not put back into your Paypal account it’s set as G-Cash for spending on Gmarket. If you so choose you can transfer it back to Paypal but it won’t be worth it as they deduct a considerable amount in fees to do this!
Shipping, Paypal, and Other Woes….
Gmarket ships fairly quickly however the interface on Gmarket has a huge learning curve and I don’t think, after using it twice so far for orders, I even understand how it works! Figuring out where my money is, where my order is, when it shipped, how to track it, etc…is like brain surgery! The site isn’t user friendly in my opinion! Now when paying via Paypal can be quite a bit of a nail biting experience as waiting for the funds to go through, etc…makes me slightly nervous as my Paypal sits in limbo for 2-3 days. On top of this waiting for your credit back, for shipping, takes a fair few days. I just get a tad bit nervous when my money is sitting around and not doing anything!
All in all I currently avoid Gmarket like the plague and do all my Korean Cosmetics via CP purchases from my friend. If I can’t get items from her I tend to look around E-bay and see what pops up cheap! I don’t recommend using Gmarket if you get antsy about your money the way I do. I also don’t recommend it because of the silly estimated shipping fee problem!
The Muse suggests asking around MUA or on Asian based Forums for a CP. Be friendly, make a friend, and I’m positive they’ll be happy to help you get what you need from Korea! Don’t forget to offer to return the favor!
Hope this answers all your questions about Gmarket!
If you have further questions, ask away in comment field!
An Intro to Korean Cosmetic Brands
What is a BB Cream?
A Guide to Shopping for Japanese Cosmetics
JPMon Ordering Tutorial
Indonesian Cosmetic Brands
By the Muse on October 14, 2008
I absolutely love staining my lips and cheeks! Stains work so well at giving a natural, flushed looks to both lips and cheeks.
I’m particularly partial to staining my lips prior to gloss as it gives that extra pop to gloss! One of my very favorite products for staining my lips was from Bourjois Paris and came in a pen applicator! I was so sad they stopped carrying these soon after their original release.
I’ve since been through a slew of stains but I’ve located a new favorite when I recently purchased Etude House 55 Kissful Tint Chou!
Etude House 55 Kissful Tint Chou is available in four shades which are a pink, red, orange, and sheer pink.
I tried the red shade only but I’ll be going back shortly for more colors as it’s a very good stain. The stain comes in a cute little tube with squeeze applicator. Dab a small amount on your finger and smooth on or apply directly from the tube. The formula is a silicon like texture that smooths on dry and leaves behind a pinch of color bringing blah lips to life with a beautiful flush of red! This is beautiful with or without gloss! I like the interesting texture as although it’s a gel formula it still feels rather dry when applied which makes it ideal for lips as it doesn’t apply in a streaky mess! The stain lasts for a good four hours or so before fading even when drinking or eating which is great as all I have to do is touch up my gloss and go as my lips are already nicely flushed with color!
As you can see below the color choice I made was quite red however I thought it looked quite natural on and not scary or kool-aid like in appearance. My lips are quite red already however this enhances the natural color of my lips!
I really liked this one and it’s one of Etude House’s better items. It also happens to be extremely cheap at $4 USD. I paid retail price as I have a friend in Korea who purchased it for me however I’ve seen it on E-bay ranging from $9.99-$12.99 USD and I think it’s well worth that price even though the tube is tiny!
Before
After
I’m Muse Approving this one! Definately loves it!
Do you stain your lips?
How about your cheeks?
Tell the Muse!
The Muse Appears in Etude House’s Newsletter
Etude House Plumping Lip Tint Review
Etude House Aqua Sherbet Skincare Review
Etude House Lash Designing Vitcara Mascara Review
By the Muse on October 14, 2008
You do realize I’m not NEARLY done with my concealer reviews right?
I got a ton more up my sleeve, I’ve just been giving you a breather in between!
I now have my eye on Sana Make Essence Concealer which is a yellow based concealer for concealing dark circles.
Sana Excel already makes a compact concealer for 800 yen that I have yet to try however the regular Sana brand has this new Make Essence Concealer that caught my eye since it has such a strong yellow base which is good for reflecting off of dark shadows and circles while concealing them up.
I’ll have to get my hands on some of this soon and review because I’m curious how good it is! The normal Sana line up is pretty good so I suspect that perhaps Sana Make Essence Concealer will be just as good.
If you live in Japan this is available now for 950 yen at a local drugstore! I believe it’s brand new as this is the first time I’ve seen it.
Review to follow shortly!
Sana Curler Review
Update: Read the Sana Make Essence Concealer Review
By the Muse on October 10, 2008
The evil allure and temptation of IsaDora’s Holiday Collection got me good! I found myself captivated by the gorgeous IsaDora Diamond Ring with Gloss….I guess what they say is true…..Diamonds (and gloss too!) are a girl’s best friend!
I’m unsure if it was the sparkling Swarovski crystals or the gloss housed inside that captured my heart when I seen this glittering cocktail ring but I do know I’ll be sporting it happily through the season, in fact I’m wearing it today! Why wait for the Holidays!?
The IsaDora Diamond Ring is a quite a heavy piece of jewelry! Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is a wimpy little ring with a cute gloss thrown it! Far from it! The piece has a sterling silver quality and is quite a fashionable piece of custom jewelry! I’m a sucker for jewelry so this totally appeals to that side of my nature. The ring is an oval style triangle decorated with Swarovski crystals and baring the IsaDora name sake on it’s side.
Wear it out for a bit of bling and slyly slip it open for gloss touch up on the go! The ring slides open to reveal a shimmering pink gloss to slick on lips on the fly!
As you can see it’s difficult to resist all that shine, sparkle, and glimmer! Pairing up elegant jewelry and lipgloss…..total perfection! The Muse likey!
The IsaDora Holiday Collection 2008 has wormed it’s way into my heart and I’ll be indulging in further items very shortly! Look out for my review on the yummie palette soon!
Love the IsaDora Diamond Ring with Gloss?
Loving the IsaDora Holiday Collection?
Tell the Muse!
Read more about the IsaDora Holiday Collection 2008
By the Muse on October 8, 2008
Ok…I wants Rimmel London Shock Gloss 3D Mattifying Lipgloss…..
I’m not Rimmel’s biggest fan but I’m actually quite curious to try these new glosses! These are available in three shades so far for £3.99 within the UK. The Muse is hopeful we’ll see them US side soon.
Rimmel has adapted the popular Asian spatula style applicator that I simply love for gloss application! More brands seriously have to get on board with this awesome applicator!
The shades are entitled Intense (Clear Pink), Clearly Clear (Clear), and Amp’ed (Red). The formula supposedly gives a highly glossy finish however I have tried one Rimmel gloss prior that promised similiar and was a grave disappointment!
I think I’ll wait to try them out when they reach my side of the pond rather than spend money on airmail on an item I may not like!
Are you within the UK?
Tried these yet?
Love ‘em!?
Share with the Muse!
Rimmel Underground Spring Collection 2008 Review
Rimmel Lip Bloomer Review
By the Muse on October 6, 2008
Giving the gift of Diamonds doesn’t have to be expensive.
The IsaDora Holiday Collection 2008 entitled Dazzling Diamonds has an assortment of inexpensive options to sparkle like a diamond this upcoming Holiday Season!
Indulge your need for diamonds by selecting from the following items:
- IsaDora Eyeshadow Palette $21 USD
Five metallic eye shadows housed in a gorgeous, elegant silver palette with mirror for stunning, dazzling holiday eyes!
- IsaDora Diamond Ring with Gloss $55 USD
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and so is this cocktail ring encrusted with Swarovski crystals to compliment your favorite holiday outfit! Flip it open and reveal the sparkling sheer pink gloss to give your lips a perfect amount of shimmer and shine!
- IsaDora Lash Diamonds $14 USD
Reminiscent of Givenchy’s Lash Sparkles but half the price! Add a bit of sparkle, shimmer, and shine to your lashes using this easy pen!
- IsaDora Fine Liner Eye Stylo $13 USD
Line and define eyes with this liquid eyeliner to create a sophisticated, polished look!
- IsaDora Holiday Edition Perfect Moisture Lipstick $15 USD
Available in two shades enjoy whipping this beautifully packaged silver plated lipstick out of your purse!
- IsaDora Diamond Lipgloss $14
Finish your holiday look with a bit of a sparkling diamond gloss!
This collection is both budget friendly and stunning! The Muse will definately be indulging in some, if not all, of this beautiful collection!
I’ll be reviewing the Isadora Dazzling Diamond Holiday Collection for you shortly!
Want it for yourself?
Check out www.amazon.com and www.cosmeticmall.com in November 2008 to grab yours!
Loving this?
Want it?
Do tell the Muse!
By the Muse on October 1, 2008
I get ALOT of email daily at Musings and I honestly do have a really, really hard time keeping up with it all but I’m truly listening when you write me. One such case of e-mail overload would be about a zillion messages I got from various people asking for a review on Jelly Pong Pong Venus Magical Pearls.
I believe I caused a bit of an epidemic with my reviews on various awesome Jelly Pong Pong items because I get daily e-mails asking about the entire line and I honestly can’t answer all the questions about certain items as I haven’t tried the complete line of products! Sorry guys, the Muse is only one girl and contrary to popular belief I do not own every item in every collection ever released hehe!
But the good news is I can at lest ease your curiosity about Jelly Pong Pong’s Venus Magical Pearls finally. So, yes, I am listening and here, as requested, is my review!
These are awesome and come with my seal of approval before I even review! They have a bit of a novelty feel to them while keeping the cuteness that is Jelly Pong Pong and adding an inventive way to use eyeshadow!
What are they?
Exactly what it says on the package…Magical Pearls! Ooooo! Ok..not really….but close to magical as you’ll get. Basically you’ll be purchasing a cute container of shimmering pearls and in keeping with Jelly Pong Pong’s theme of “swiping and going” makeup these make shadow application a pure breeze and goof proof for the not so expert makeup inclined. Each jar contains a single shade of pearls which you’ll swipe your finger across, picking up shimmering color that you can use on your eyes or face. The fun doesn’t end there though…pick up one pearl and squash it between your finger tips to release a second contrasting shimmering shade! Awesome right?
I personally haven’t tried these on my face but I love creating a simple yet stunning eye look using the two shades. I normally start my look by swiping my fingers across the pearls and applying all over my lid and into my crease. I follow up by taking my frustrations out on the pearl and squashing it between my fingertips to release the secondary shade which I use all over my lid.
And it’s really that simple.
You can use a blending brush to blend out any harsh lines but honestly it’s a simple swipe of your finger tips to get an interesting blend of shimmering colors on your eyes! Obviously part of the appeal is how quickly you can create a look using the product. It makes makeup application simple and quite fun!
The color combinations are rather wonderful and go together beautifully plus the shades are very nicely pigmented making the product last very long since you only need one tiny pearl to complete your look! The pearls are very tiny and to create my looks below I used a single pearl.
Jelly Pong Pong has these available in four shade selections which evens out to roughly eight colors combinations. I’ve tried out two of the four and I’ll be purchasing the other two shades shortly (expect a follow up review for those…).
The shades I’ve tried out are Goddess Skin and Worship. Of the two Worship is my very favorite as the color combo is beautiful plus it’s a rather great time of the year to be wearing the two shades included with Worship. Worship starts as beautiful, shimmering gold, once crushed it goes from gold to a deeply pigmented fiery orange that contrasts perfectly with the gold. Goddess Skin starts out as a bronze which looks rather brownish, it has a nice shimmery finish. Once crushed Goddess Skin turns into an olive green, pairing an olive green and a bronze brownish shade never crossed my mind but turns out the two shades bounce off each other rather nicely.
ACK dontcha just love MAC Lipglass in Pink Grapefruit? I’m also sporting Lancome Absolue Makeup in the above picture on a completely prepped face!
All in all I think the simplicity of use, stunning colors, and unique application process makes this a really fun product to pick up for yourself! It doesn’t have to be difficult to create a rather flawless, fun look and Jelly Pong Pong Venus Magical Pearls helps that process right along!
I loved these and definately recommend at least trying one shade..soon after I guarantee you’ll want the rest!
These are available from Jelly Pong Pong for $20 USD or £15 on their website. The site ships domestic and international!
You can check out other combinations available here.
Tried these?
Love ‘em?
Do tell me!
Jelly Pong Pong Lip Cushion Review
Jelly Pong Pong Crystallize Review
By the Muse on September 26, 2008
I’ve been reviewing a few items from Etude House’s Fall Collection this week and today I’m ending the week with a review on Etude House Lash Designing Vitcara Mascara.
Although there isn’t anything too special about Etude House Lash Designing Vitcara Mascara I was delighted with it’s price and it’s performance.
The mascara comes in two versions, a fiber base and a regular volume (curl) mascara. Out of the two versions I liked the regular volume mascara best.
The regular curl version has a very good applicator on par with Beaute de Kose’s Volumizing Mascara’s applicator, it’s a tiny curved smooth handle with tiny bristles at the very tip. The curved end fits the contour of your eye lashes perfectly to comb lashes upwards and out. You can use the bristles to comb the mascara further through the lashes or concentrate on certain lashes (such as the outer ones) to create a fuller look or a doll-like effect to lashes. The formula is nice and thick and does a fine job of fattening lashes up, separating them, and creating a nice full look. I experienced no problems with smudges or fading. It’s not the best mascara around but it does do what it promises and it’s quite inexpensive as well.
The second mascara was a bit of a shock to me as it’s actually not half bad considering how much I hate fiber based mascaras. My first use with it was a complete mess and I ended up absolutely hating it but after reading the instructions and recommendation for use I successfully created quite a good full lash look with it. The applicator on this one is a tiny comb style with a smooth surface on one side and a bristle side on the other. For application you’re supposed to use the smoother side to pull the lashes upward and out after you proceed to brush through lashes with the comb. The smooth side of the applicator reminds me of Bare Escentuals Brushless Mascara and the entire design actually sorta reminds me of another Bare Escentuals mascara which is Big Tease. I was delighted that the fibers didn’t get stuck in my eye or cause general irritation as fiber mascaras have been known to do for me! I highly recommend trying this particular mascara if you have shorter, stubbier lashes. It pulls lashes up and out nicely and creates a very full, long look to eyes. My first use, as I mentioned, was a mess and my lashes had the spider web effect going on but after using the applicator correctly I was quite pleased with the results.
All in all for the price you sincerely can’t go wrong and I definately enjoyed these two mascaras.
You can see further information with before and after photos on Etude House’s blog. If you have a Korean language pack installed it’s easy enough to translate the site as well!
Enjoy further reviews on Etude House’s Fall Collection by clicking through some past posts!
Etude House Lip Plumping Tint Review
Etude House Face Designing Brightener Review
Etude House Brightening Eyes Duo Review
By the Muse on September 26, 2008
The Muse likes a little sparkle, and a little glitter…oh and I love some shimmer so of course I’m all about Jelly Pong Pong Crystallize!
Jelly Pong Pong Crystallize is a new product from Jelly Pong Pong that contains four shades of dazzling jewel like shimmers that you can use on your face, body, or hair!
The product comes in sphere compact so it’s not only beautiful on the inside but also gorgeous on the outside. Once you’ve unscrewed the cap you’ll come across a powder puff applicator and under that is a sifter that’s divided into four parts a la Givenchy’s Prsme Libre Loose Powder Quartet. The sifter does not contain a divider between each shade so it’s difficult to actually apply each shade individually however this does not take away from the effects of the powder simply because combining all four shades creates an intense shimmery finish that’s simply gorgeous.
The four shades housed in the sphere are a Light Amethyst, Tanzanite, Firestone Ruby, and White Crystal or in Muse English they are green, pink, purple, and peach! Combining the shades simply gives you a highly intense shimmery effect that’s not so much a rainbow of color but more of a simple crystal-like finish. Of course, if you prefer you can, with a little work, apply each shade separately.
I’ve been happily using this on my cheeks, face, arms, etc…and as per Jelly Pong Pong’s recommendation I mixed some with my moisturizer and applied on my skin which produced a rather fun effect on my skin! Likey!
All in all this is a rather cute little shimmer to add to your collection if you’re high on doses of sparkle like the Muse is! I’m sealing it with a Muse Approval for purchase!
You can visit Jelly Pong Pong by clicking here!
If you like sparkle, you’ll love this!
As obsessed with shimmer as the Muse is?
Want this?
Love Jelly Pong Pong?
Tell the Muse!
Other Jelly Pong Pong posts to get excited about!
Jelly Pong Pong Lip Cushion Review
Jelly Pong Pong Summer Collection 2008
By the Muse on September 24, 2008
Included in it’s Fall Collection Etude House released a Plumping Lip Tint which I’m lovinggggg at the moment!
These glosses are new to the Etude House line up and I believe LE but don’t quote me on that! They come in two shade selections both of which are sheer but give a nice tiny hint of color to the lips.
I love both shades and I’m happy I indulged in purchasing both as they are high quality items for the price and offer a brilliant glossy layer to my favorite lip stain or lipstick or of course, they look rather gorgeous alone as well. The formula is an emollient, moisturizing and quite thick gloss which gives the illusion of plumped, fuller lips. Each gloss is flavored in a cool, tingly minty bubblegum taste which, for me, a lover of flavored glosses, is quite nice!
The glosses come with the typical spatula style applicator many Asian brands favor and which I totally love as it’s great for layering gloss on and getting a nice even finish plus it’s easy to clean up prior to placing back into the tube.
The colors available are pink and red but neither is very pigmented however since the gloss contains a fair amount of tingly goodness you can expect to get a certain pink or reddish tone to lips due to this. Over bare lips the gloss looks natural, glossy, and lovely. Over your favorite lip stain or lipstick the gloss creates a sexy mirror finish that’s gorgeous!
At under around $5 USD each the price is terribly right and they work almost as great as my favorite plumping gloss of all time, DuWop Lip Venom.
The Muse likes ‘em and approved ‘em!
Definitely a nice addition to my gloss collection!
What are your favorite plumping glosses?
Feeling like plumping glosses are over hyped?
Tell the Muse!
Enjoy more reviews from Etude House’s Fall Collection by visiting some past reviews!
Etude House Face Designing Brightener Review
Etude House Brightening Eyes Duo Review
By the Muse on September 23, 2008
Etude House Brightening Eyes Duo was released with this year’s Fall Collection. I like the idea that Etude House added a concealer to it’s newest releases. Not many brands concentrate on anything outside of color come Fall so the idea of releasing a concealer to go along with the rest of the selections is quite nice.
Etude House Brightening Eyes Duo consists of a stackable duo of products to brighten and conceal eyes. On top of the jar is a slide open cream concealer in a salmon color that contains hints of pink but has a dominant base of peach. Two things I found curious about this shade of concealer was the fact at how well it worked at concealing and also the unusual color choice for Asian eyes.
In consideration that Etude House is a Korean brand and mainly disturbed within this country I thought the peachy pink shade was completely unflattering for Asian skin tones. Normally concealing with a yellow based concealer works best for Asian tones but to randomly come out with a shade like this really puzzles me on how well it’ll work for those of Asian descent.
Blended
I was equally shocked that it worked well on me as I thought that the shade would be rather strange for concealing darker circles considering how flesh shaded it was. However, it does a pretty good job of concealing lighter dark circles.
The idea behind the product is to prep and prime lids and under eyes with the creamy primer that’s tucked under the main concealer in a pot of it’s own. The cream is moisturizing however this does not contain anything aside from some extra moisture for your eyes so don’t expect it to fill in fine lines or treat them by using this cream. The cream does a fine job of prepping the eye area prior to concealer and I like it very much for this purpose. The cream does is very slightly pigmented as well and brightens the eye area up a tiny bit. The cream count account for the name of the product “brightening eyes” because it does successfully brighten the eye area up prior to the cream concealer every coming into contact with your eye. After prepping with the cream you’ll follow up by using the concealer. Considering how well the cream has prepped the eye area the concealer glides on beautifully well and helps the blending process. I liked how well the concealer layered on top of the cream and created a soft focused look.
Although I love the duo and the look it left behind, it did have two main problems that prevent me from recommending this for purchase. One problem is the concealer lasts an hour, two if you’re lucky. Long wearing concealer is absolutely essential for me and this does not last long at all. The second problem is the product is good for lighter wear however it’s to sheer to conceal major problems. I personally feel like I need heavier coverage under my eyes and although this is buildable it still fails at completely covering all my woes. After 8 hours of good rest this may be good to use however if I’m looking at 6 hours of sleep and want to look like I had 12 I’ll be reaching for a better concealer for sure!
I love the idea behind the concealer and think it’s a rather perfect duo of products however the formula needs some work. I’d recommend it for younger eyes, those who have little to conceal, or if you just love cute products. I wouldn’t recommend it for aging eyes, heavy baggage and circles.
I like Etude House Brightening Eyes Duo but I’m not loving it! A little work and they could have a rather perfect little concealer product on their hands!
Etude House Face Designing Brightener Review
Etude House Plumping Lip Tint Review
By the Muse on September 22, 2008
I’ve been wanting to try out Lavashuca Perfect Base for a long time now just because of it’s cute yet elegant packaging. The product comes in a heavy glass jar that’s beautifully vanity worthy and reminiscent of Lavshuca’s Jelly Eye Creams from a while back ago (I don’t believe they make these anymore). I liked the packaging so much I decided to get both the Moist and UV selections.
I know, crazy. Buying something because I love the packaging is ridiculous but since I’m on my quest for the perfect skin prep and primer I might as well try out Lavshuca with the added benefit of gorgeous packaging right? Indeed, the Muse’s mentality on choosing makeup does borderline on the strange and unusual.
My favorite of the two primers would be the Lavshuca Perfect Base UV. UV is a heavy duty cream that does have a slight whitening effect to it. Yes, I’m one of those crazy girls that believes in the miracles of a whitening agent. The cream is a thick consistency so I’m unsure if I’d recommend it for oily skin types considering the formula however if you have dry skin especially with the upcoming colder weather this will be a god sent. The cream is very lightly pigmented and casts a certain glow onto your face. It’s not a ghostly effect by any means but just lightens up certain dullness and gives a nice rested look to your skin however it’s not pigmented enough to forgo foundation. It’s super moisturizing and a little goes a very long way at filling pores, smoothing skin, and doing a general prep prior to foundation. It also has the benefit of containing ingredients to protect skin from harmful UV rays which is always a bonus. Although it offered fantastic moisture and prepped my skin wonderfully well for the rest of my foundation, I did not notice any really difference when it came to the length of wear on my foundation. My foundation lasted the normal 4-6 hours after use of this particular base however in defense of the product I don’t think it promises anything in regards to setting foundation for longer wear. I’d recommend this base for those who seek extra moisture even after use of their normal moisturizer, anyone who’s looking for a thicker primer to fill in pores, and finally someone who seeks UV protection.
The second base I tried was Lavshuca Perfect Base Moist base which is considerably different when compared to the UV version. This base is much lighter and the formula is completely different. The formula is water based, with a lighter consistency and a gel like texture that has a faintly pink iridescent finish that’s not completely visible on the skin. I like this base for prepping the skin prior to foundation because it makes my foundation glide on and blend easier however as far as filling pores or extending the life of my foundation I wouldn’t recommend it as it does neither. I enjoyed the consistency of the product and think it makes a rather great prep for warmer weather however right now, when my skin craves added moisture, I think the UV wins out. The base will make a rather great primer for my Summer skincare and I imagine I’ll reach for this when I’m using lighter makeup.
As you can see from my swatches below UV has a slightly white cast once blended and Moist contains a tiny amount of pink shimmer. Although each has an unique finish once blended onto my face I didn’t notice any shimmer from moist nor did I notice a noticeable change in my skin tone when using UV aside from dullness disappearing.
Both are generally good bases and I liked them alot but I found nothing particularly exciting or unique about either aside from the packaging. If you don’t have a ton of primers and bases around I’d recommend picking one of the two that would suit your skin however I’m not particularly partial to either. They performed well enough and I liked them very much but the Muse isn’t in love!
All in all a rather nice set of bases to add to my every growing collection of skin prepping items!
Tried these?
Love ‘em?
What base or primer do you use?
Tell the Muse!
MuseTV Presents: Spotlight on Lavshuca
Lavshuca Rouge Star Classic Lipstick Review
Lavshuca Creamy Liquid Foundation
Lavshuca Spring Collection 2008 Roundup Review
Lavshuca Winter Make Palettes Review
By the Muse on September 22, 2008
I sadly didn’t love Jelly Pong Pong’s Nicola Roberts Dainty Doll Concealer. I really wanted to love this but it didn’t work out quite the way I wanted too!
However, I do have a rave for Jelly Pong Pong Dainty Doll Foundation. I was in high debate with myself whether I should indulge in this particular foundation since it’s made for girls with very, very fair complexions in mind however since I’m not shy when it comes to trying out really pale shades I firgured why not!
I know many of you wouldn’t touch these particular shades with a ten foot pole since they are considerably light however as I said I’m not entirely against trying a foundation that’s a shade or two lighter than my actually tone because I do believe I make it work well. Since my skin has a healthy dose of medium to it the color selection wasn’t exactly friendly for my tone but I went ahead and purchased two of the three shades available those of which were Ivory and Porcelain. Before I go into details about the shades one rant I did have was the lack of color selection. The foundation comes in three shade selections and thats it however I did understand that the mentality behind the brand was to be appealing to very fair skinned girls so I’m sure extending the line with further colors would go against what the collection was trying to achieve.
When I purchased two shades I was of the mind of mixing both to create a rather great shade that would suitably offer both coverage and possibly even out dull spots and brighten my complextion which it successfully did in spades.
From Left to Right: Ivory and Porcelain Mixed, Porcelain, and Ivory
Ivory
Porcelain
As I mentioned I selected two shades, Ivory which is a creamy shade of Ivory and Porcelain which is light ivory with plenty of beige. I probably didn’t need to select Ivory since Porcelain turned out to actually be fairly suitable to my tone although a bit too light however I did think mixing both created a rather great shade. I particularly liked the effects of placing Ivory below my under eye area where I have a bit of a sunken look to my eyes, this lifted the area and created a fresher, more awake look!
The foundation comes in a pot and the formula is a mousse consistency that’s creamy, moisturizing, and offers light coverage. The coverage is buildable but it’s not full coverage so don’t expect to cover major problem skin with this foundation. The foundation offers a great flawless finish and I actually loved the effect on my skin. It woke my tired skin up, offered nice coverage, and gave me a nice glow.
I actually had hoped this would be a great dupe for Kevyn Aucoin’s The Sensual Skin Enhancer however the products are vastly different in both coverage and texture. Kevyn’s version is thicker, heavier, and offers far more coverage where as this is thinner in consistency, very light weight, and coverage is sheer.
Dainty Doll Foundation versus Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer
The foundation actually has the potential to be holy grail material however it has one major flaw that’s pretty unforgivable when it comes to foundation. The staying powder is terrible. Simply terrible.
After application the foundation lasts around two hours, three if you’re lucky. For me, that’s just terrible considering how much I hate having to touch up my foundation as the day progresses. The formula simply melts away and you’re left with very little in it’s place which means it’s like starting your entire makeup application regime over again.
Since the staying powder virtually stinks I decided that it’s the perfect foundation for weekends when I’m looking for lighter coverage or for a quick run to the store, etc…It’s also particularly nice for freshing up foundation that you may already have on. A few dots down the sides of your nose and blended outwards definately freshens up foundation that’s already in place.
Wearing the two shades blended together!
For an all day foundation it definately doesn’t work out for me but as a quick face item or a touch up item I do give it props! I sincerely love the product because of it’s ability to create a beautiful, moist, glowing, awake look however since it doesn’t last all day I’m left with a pot of foundation that I’m only using for quick runs to the store or weekend wear when I’m running around with friends and not really caring to do a full makeup look.
I definately recommend picking one up if you’ve had a seriously hard time locating a foundation that’s light enough for your milky white complextion. I also recommend it for brightening up a medium-fair tone if you like toeing the line when it comes to lighter shades of foundation.
It’s excellent stuff but the formula needs some work before I can truly love it!
Like it for sure, love it, no.
Tried it?
Love it?
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Jelly Pong Pong Round Up Review
Jelly Pong Pong Nicola Roberts Dainty Doll Concealer Review
More ways to look fabulously flawless….
Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer
Laura Mercier Flawless Face Kit Review
By the Muse on September 22, 2008
You may have noticed when I review collections, it’s normally a group event. I take all or most of the pieces and review each item in one big blog entry!
This week I’m switching things up a tiny little bit and doing things different by bringing you Etude House’s Fall Collection in a review a day from the items released.
I didn’t indulge in all the items but I do think I got the best of the lot of items introduced so each day, for the next week, you’ll see one item from the collection reviewed!
Today I’m starting out the review process by covering Etude House Face Designing Brightener Face Powder which is a gorgeous highlighting powder.
The powder is a cream color with a light pink under base that has a tiny hint of shimmer and a slightly iridescent finish. The powder is a rather nice item for adding a lovely finish as a final step in your makeup application. It doesn’t really brighten the face but leaves more of a soft focused glow. Although the powder contains a bit of shimmer you can’t see it on your face once applied and all that’s left behind is a subtle glow that’s very flattering and natural.
Directions for use suggest using the powder on the t-zone and under the eyes. I liked the idea of brushing it under my eyes and it works a treat as lightening up dark circles and giving a rather nice finish to the area after concealer use however it’s a bit too shimmery for my t-zone area so I decided to use it on the apples of my cheeks and up the contour of my face which was much better at creating that natural finish.
The powder has a sweet little star emblem embedded into it which goes deep enough to last a while before it disappears. This comes in a very slim, slick little compact that sports a kawaii feel do to the cutesy lettering on the top in elaborate script. At 11,000 won the price is quite nice as well and pretty inexpensive for such a cute item.
This one I liked alot. The price is great, the packaging is quite cute, and the effect on my face was lovely! I’m glad I purchased this as I was slightly up in arms whether I needed another highlighting powder but it was so inexpensive and has the quality to back it up I’m happy I indulged.
I’ll be reviewing more of Etude House’s Fall Collection shortly so stay tuned!
Etude House Fall Collection 2008
Etude House Aqua Sherbet Skincare Review
Etude House Brightening Eyes Duo Review
Etude House Plumping Lip Tint Review
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