Review: Peripera Rouge Pang in PP08 Serious

Korean beauty brands have some of the best lipsticks in the market. I don't know how they do it. High quality lip products with affordable price tags. If you haven't tried any lipsticks from Korean brands, I highly recommend that you try some from Etude House and Innisfree - amazing products with wallet-friendly prices. 

Or, maybe you can try Peripera Rouge Pang! I bought mine in shade PP08 Serious from Qoo10 on a whim and it actually turned out to be quite a stellar product. It's S$10.99 with free normal mail on Qoo10. 

Packaging: The lipstick cover has a similar shade to the lipstick shade, so it will be easy to find the colour that you want to apply if you have many of these in your collection. When you close the cover, you will hear a click to indicate that the cover is secure. A sturdy packaging that will not accidentally dislodge itself in your makeup bag.

Colour and pigmentation: PP08 Serious is a slightly deep berry colour. There's more pink than purple, but you still can see the gorgeous tinge of purple after application. The Peripera Rouge Pang has impressive pigmentation. The swatch below was achieved with one swipe. Great stuff!

Application: This lip product applies so smoothly and evenly and it does not settle to your lip lines. It's like applying lip balm to your lips, but without the unpleasant greasy feeling. It has a slightly glossy finish that will dry to a semi matte finish after a couple of hours. Very moisturizing but not sticky at all.

Longevity: The Peripera Rouge Pang fares averagely in terms of longevity. Actually it highly depends on whether you eat and drink on that day or not. With food and drink, the lipstick faded quite a bit, but you still can see the tint your lips - definitely require touch-ups after food intake. Not something that I will be bothered about since the lip product performed excellently in other aspects.

Will I buy it again? Definitely. I'm interested in getting OR05 Chit Chit but I'm not sure if I can pull off the orange-lip look. I also want PP02 Secret - a gorgeous magenta colour. For those of you who want more glossy and shiny finish, there's also the Peripera Lumi Pang line!

Have a great day guys! :) 

Quick Review: A'PIEU NonCo Tea Tree Sheet Mask

Photo from X

Photo from X

Korean sheet masks are usually my go-to sheet masks. I have tried numerous sheet masks from many different Korean brands and they have been fuss-free and foolproof. So I expected the same from A'PIEU NonCo Tea Tree Sheet Mask. However, the application process was complicated and cumbersome simply because the sheet mask was too large. 

You get two sheet masks in one pack - one half for the nose area up, and the other half for the jawline area. It will be a great design if the sheet masks were to stick properly on the skin. 

The two sheet masks are SO HUGE. Come on man, why waste so much money on excess material? I had to fold the edges inward for my entire face. In comparison, I usually only fold the edges around my forehead for other sheet masks. 

Not only that, this sheet mask simply won't apply properly. No matter how much I tried to smooth out the air bumps, it just looked like I was a complete newbie at sheet masks! The mask material is quite thick and it's not as stretchable as I would like sheet masks to be. 

It's the first time I used a sheet mask that frustrated me so much. 

Definitely not buying this again. 

Anybody else tried this mask? Do you have the same problems? Or if it applies normally on you, please let me know what I'm doing wrong! Sigh~

Korean Skincare Haul (cosrx, mamonde, apieu)

A couple of weeks ago, I realised that my skin wasn't reacting well to The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Blemish Fade Night Lotion anymore. I am currently still unsure why my skin reacted that way so suddenly. It's all very shocking because I have been using that product for almost 2 years and I had no problems. And then overnight, my skin started getting really clogged up, and once I stopped using that, my skin was less irritated. Why so funny one? 

But whatever, that means I get to find new products for my skin! 

When I was in Copenhagen, I decided to give a COSRX Natural BHA Skin Returning Emulsion sample a go. It was a tiny sachet so it wasn't included in my travel skincare post. 

My skin LOVED it. It was absorbed into my skin so quickly and my skin felt smooth and plump. 3 days in and my large family of tiny bumps finally started to slowly disappear. My skin was not clear, but it definitely was not as clogged as it used to be. 

Immediately off to Googleland to look up this fascinating new brand and wow there are many Korean beauty bloggers who raved about COSRX products! So yes, I succumbed to blogger/Youtuber pressure and bought 4 new COSRX products via RoseRoseShop. Of course must buy masks also right? So yes, got myself a couple of A'PIEU masks and two packs of Mamonde masks. 

I have used the COSRX products for a full week now and I'm very happy to report that I have NO breakouts. YAY YAY! 

Shall give them more time to work their magic and I'll check back in a couple of months' time with in-depth reviews! 

Quick Review: Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing O2 Bubble Mask

Many years ago (perhaps 7-8 years ago), I tried an oxygen mask from Etude House and fell head over heels in love with it because of how effective it was. I think the product name was 02 White Mask Sheet - I can't really remember now because it has sadly been discontinued by the brand. After that, I just couldn't be bothered to find an alternative (poor JC student's woes) and I stopped using oxygen-infused masks from then on. 

The thought came back to me a couple of months back. What if oxygen masks can help with my acne?! I researched and found one that's particularly suitable for acne-prone skin - Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing O2 Bubble Mask. This contains carbonated water, baking powder, tea tree and gold kiwi - all great for cleansing out those dirty clogged pores. 

I bought mine from Qoo10 for S$21.90 (+ S$1.90 shipping) and this has become a staple in my skincare routine. 

First of all, the application process is very ... gratifying. After cleansing, lather one-two pumps of the Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing O2 Bubble Mask on your entire face, avoiding the eye and lip area. Then watch the magic happen - the white clay-mask-like consistency froths up steadily, covering your face gradually with dense white bubbles. After 2 minutes, rinse with lukewarm water and you're done! 

I saw a noticeable difference even only after one application - my skin felt immensely smooth and the dry patches on my skin (usually scars from freshly popped pimples) were not so obvious anymore. Also, my face looked so much brighter and more radiant, like as if I just did a 30-min slow jog (minus the sweat). 

I have used the Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing O2 Bubble Mask for close to 2 months now - twice weekly - and I have been enjoying every application. Does it tackle pimples? Maybe not so much. However, it didn't break me out and I love how radiant I looked after each application, so it's still a winner in my books. 

I really love incorporating oxygen-infused masks to my skincare routines, so please let me know if you have a similar product from another brand that I can try! :)  

Review: Peripera Peri's Cushion Lips (OR04 Secret Trip and PK07 Mini Dress)

Peripera is a Korean cosmetics brand that I'm highly unfamiliar with. A quick Google revealed that it's owned by CLIO, which is a brand that I associate with high quality products and relatively more expensive prices. So I guess the company is trying to reach out to a different target demography now? 

To be honest, just by these Peripera Peri's Cushion Lips alone, I don't think I'll ever go in to Peripera to buy any of their products. I didn't like these lip products and I would not recommend them to anyone. 

It's not nightmarishly bad (still good for those who are not as fussy and want to support the current spokesperson, A Pink's Son Na Eun) but you can definitely spend less money on other brand's lip products and they will be more of higher quality than the Peripera Peri's Cushion Lips.  

I got mine on Qoo10 for S$11+ each with free normal mail. 

Packaging: Cutesy and questionable. Initially, I thought the packaging was adorable and fitting for the younger customers that Peripera is trying to target, but it's not functional at all! The "cushion" part in Peripera Peri's Cushion Lips is for the application head of the product. You have to squeeze the tube so that the product is dispensed on the cushion/sponge, then you apply it on your lips as per normal. The cushion is designed to aid even application. Well, it's a great intention, but that's provided you can get product dispensed to the cushion! I squeezed, and squeezed and squeezed and squeezed on different parts of the tube, and NOTHING came out. After like my 2856th squeeze, the product was finally dispensed but it was like a volcanic eruption - I had lip product all over my fingers!

I thought okay, maybe it was blocked due to difference in air pressure while it was being mailed to Singapore, so I tried with the second tube, and this time I squeezed gently once and the product SQUIRTED OUT. I think I wasted like 1/3 of the product. ZZZ.

Yes you have cute packaging and all, but can make it a little bit more user-friendly and function or not???

OR04 Secret Trip

PK07 Mini Dress

Left: OR04 Secret Trip
Right: PK07 Mini Dress

Pigmentation and application: After I got some product out of both tubes, I decided to ignore the packaging blunder and try out the products on my lips. Initial swatches on the back of my hand (also called "opisthenar". I just Googled hahaha) were very assuring because at least the colours were intense and both were decently pigmented. The Peripera Peri's Cushion Lips also swatched very evenly and I was glad that the packaging mishap did not affect the product quality. 

I thought too soon.   

As soon as I applied the Peripera Peri's Cushion Lips on my lips, I realised how much I didn't like them. Here is a list of reasons for my dislike:

• Application was streaky. In the photos below, you can actually see some of the unevenness. I tried my best to apply evenly already but still cannot! Why like that one?
• Pigmentation was not as satisfactory on the lips. I had to go over a few times to get reasonable pigmentation.
• Not long-lasting at all. I made myself coffee after applying PK07 Mini Dress and after I finished my cup of coffee, most of the lip product has transferred to the cup. I understand that all lip products transfer but this one too fast and furious already! It was only a cup of coffee gulped down in less than 10 minutes!! 

OR04 Secret Trip

PK07 Mini Dress
The streakiness is very obvious here. 

I was not a happy camper.

After that day of trial, I have thrown the Peripera Peri's Cushion Lips aside. What a waste of my money! :(

Perhaps I got defective products....

Have a great week guys! 

Review: Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] in 23 Sand Beige

I used to think of the BB Cushion concept as "just another gimmick that wouldn't work". Obviously I was very wrong because right now, I can't think of a better way to apply liquid foundation or BB cream. The magic is in the cushion puff used to apply the product. I used up my Etude House Precious Mineral Any Cushion but I didn't want to stop using the puff so I used it to blend out my favourite Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. Best decision ever because the puff and the patting motion resulted in a well-blended, no-streaking application. 

I now have purchased back-ups of the puff ONLY because the puff seems to work well with almost all of my base products. 

But of course, that didn't stop me from trying out more cushion products. I'm now more wary of trying out these BB cushions because most of the available ones in the market are targeted towards dry to normal skin users. There are very few that are formulated for those with oily skin, hence when find one, I will get it. 

The Laneige BB Cushion is not a new product - it's probably the most talked-about BB cushion in the beauty industry. It's like the Naked palette of South Korea. Cult product status. However, the original formulation was more for those with dry to normal skin types. I've read a multitude of positive reviews on the Laneige BB Cushion (and very very few negative experiences. Quite a feat!) and I was upset that I wasn't able to try out the product. 

Then, they had a Pore Control version out. It's like Laneige was testing the waters first, then once the product boomed into mega stardom, they released a semi-matte version which will delight those with combination to oily skin types. Similarly to the original version, the Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] barely has any negative reviews from users. Very li hai hor? So I also must buy. 

And I did. 

But not the full compact, just the refill. I got mine from Carousell for just S$20. 

I didn't buy the full compact (S$59 in Luxola) because I still had my Etude House compact. Luckily I did some research. Etude House and Laneige are owned by the same company (Amore Pacific), and so some of their products have similar packaging. The Laneige BB Cushion refill fits perfectly into the Etude House Precious Mineral Any Cushion packaging. S$39 saved! 

Random fact: I just did a quick Wikipedia search for Amore Pacific and I'm quite shocked at how many brands Amore Pacific owns. Aritaum, Hera, Mamonde, Sulwahsoo, Innisfree, IOPE, etc. It's like the Asian L'oreal. 

Packaging: I don't have the actual Laneige BB Cushion packaging because the refill is currently residing in the Etude House compact, but I'm very glad that someone in Amore Pacific decided to make the refills compatible across brands. Yes, they are not going to earn a full S$59 from customers, but they are going to earn the refill money from returning customers. Kengyang is in South Korea now, and I have asked him to get me 2 refills of the Laneige BB Cushion (Pore Control). If they only sold the full compact, I wouldn't even ask him to get me one.

Shade: I got mine in 23 Sand Beige. I think there are 5-6 shades available depending on where you buy the product. I searched online and the darkest shade is 33 Coffee (which looked NOTHING like coffee). 23 Sand Beige is an almost perfect match for my skin tone. My skin tone is more on the yellow-olive side and 23 Sand Beige is a little bit pinker than my skin tone. This is great because I always look for foundations with a slight pink in them to neutralise the yellowness slightly.

Pigmentation/Coverage: The Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] has incredible coverage. I always forget that it's marketed as a BB cream product because the coverage is almost like a liquid/cream foundation. I would say that one layer will give you medium coverage, and you can build it up to almost full coverage by piling on the layers without feeling like you armed yourself with a thick face mask. It covers my acne scars quite well even only with one layer. I usually apply two layers - one on the entire face, then a second one on the areas that need more TLC.

Come, come I show you pictures!!

First photo: No makeup at all. This was after I applied my day moisturizer.
Second photo: First layer of the Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] (as you can see, it has a semi-matte finish, and not dewy finish)
Third photo: Second layer of Laneige BB Cushion [Pore Control] on lower cheeks and upper mouth area.
Fourth photo: Follow up with finishing powder
Fifth photo: Completed look!

Very impressive right?

I show you a more drastic change.

Lai, before and after!

有没有很厉害 !!

Longevity: You definitely need to use a primer before using the Laneige BB Cushion. I tried with and without primer and the difference is quite staggering. Without a primer, this lasted me for 3-4 hours before things started to look a little bit too oily for my liking. With a primer, this lasted double the time. A good 7-8 hours before I needed a powder touch-up.

Will I buy it again? I already have 2 backups, and I'm willing to stick to this BB Cushion till I find another one suitable for my skin type. Whenever I find a product that works for my skin, I will stick to it and I'm quite resistant to product changes. Just like how I have used my ZA two-way foundation for almost 10 years. If there are no better alternatives out there, I will stick with the Laneige BB Cushion (Pore Control). Great, great product!

Have a great day guys! Do let me know if you have more BB Cushions that you want me to try! :) 

Review: Etude House Color Lips-fit (PK003 Fantasy Fit Pink)

I'm back, I'm back!! Hoorah! 

A new digital camera really is different. iPhone 5's camera is amazing, but the Canon G7X is still much better for review posts. The problem is I still can't figure out how to use the macro function properly. Like how come always looks great on the screen, but when the photo is taken, there's this strange blurring effect? I read so many forums and I still don't understand. I'm going to meet Chay at the end of the month and she's going to analyse this strange phenomena for me since she's the expert. 

For now, the photos still nice lah, but not as sharp as I want them to be. Hopefully they will get better once we figure out the blurring problem! 

A couple of months back (before my old camera died on me), I bought a lot, a lot, a lot of Korean beauty products from Qoo10 (this post!) and now I finally have the resources to properly review them. First up, the Etude House Color Lips-fit in PK003 Fantasy Fit Pink. I bought PP501 Brave Fit Berry as well, but that was sold out. I'm going to hunt for that shade because I like the consistency and wear of this lip product, and Brave Fit Berry is a gorgeous deep berry pink! 

I bought the Etude House Color Lips-fit for S$10.90 (additional S$0.60 normal mail) on Qoo10. I think it's S$15 in Etude House Singapore stores. 

Expectations:

• moisturising
• easy application ("glides")
• high pigmentation
• lightweight
• dries to semi-matte finish

Packaging: I'm always a fan of lip tints/liquid lipsticks that have clear packaging. This way, I can quickly choose my lip product without opening 10+ other lip products. The Etude House Color Lips-fit has that ideal packaging! Other than that, the product packaging is fuss-free and nothing too special or fancy.

Pigmentation: Well, one expectation fulfilled! The Etude House Color Lips-fit is incredibly pigmented. The swatch photos below were taken only after one swipe from the doe-foot applicator. Very impressive ah. Just like the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams! Now I'm really excited to hunt down that deep berry colour!

Colour: PK003 Fantasy Fit Pink is a subtle barbie pink. Nothing too loud or neon, but still has that appealing factor. It's suitable for everyday wear, perfect when you want to add a little bit more colour to your lips. I prefer this shade of pink because you don't look too OTT. Pink shades like Barbie pink or Nicki Minaj pink are too flamboyant for my liking.

Lighting: Normal daylight

Lighting: Normal daylight + camera flash

Application: Very smooth and easy application. No streakiness at all! It's quite moisturizing, and yet it's not sticky/glossy. This is the type of liquid lipsticks that I love the most. Some liquid lipsticks are sooooo moisturising and sooooo glossy. Go out of my house 5 minutes and I'll be eating my own hair already. The Etude House Color Lips-fit and NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream have now become my top 2 liquid lipsticks! I need more shades!

Longevity: This product dries within 5 minutes of application and it dries to a beautiful semi-matte finish that I always prefer in a liquid lipstick. The Etude House Color Lips-fit feels lightweight on the lips, and there's no stickiness. The vibrancy and pigmentation lasted for a good 5 hours. It's not as long-lasting as I want it too, but touching up doesn't bother me at all. Some lip products are nightmares to touch up because they feel so caked up on your lips. For this one, touching up feels like no touch-ups at all. Very strange ah, but I like it.

Special mention: THIS SMELLS SO SO SO SO GOOD. If you grew up in Indonesia, you will know of Sugus. It's like the Indonesian version of Japanese Hi-Chew. The Etude House Color Lips-fit smells just like the grape-flavoured sugus. OH MY GOSH. NOMS.

Here is my favourite sugus.

Wait. I just googled and Sugus is actually Swiss. MIND BLOWN! But aiyah, I only had them when I was in Indonesia, so ok lah, they are "Indonesian" to me.

Have a great week guys! :D More review posts coming soon!