Get It Beauty 2016 Episode 16: Hair Care Recipes

Get It Beauty is a Korean beauty network television program shown on the OnStyle channel. It's hosted by (from left to right) actress/model Kim Jung Min, actress and former Miss Korea Honey Lee, and beauty editor Hwang Min Young. They are joined by special MC Luna of Kpop girl group F(x).

They used to release episodes with English subtitles, but stopped back in 2015, so every once in awhile, when I see a show with some useful beauty tips (including those from celebrities and their entourage of makeup artists), I like to translate them on the blog. Today's episode is all about hair and scalp care.

Beauty Editor Hwang Min Young tells the other hosts about how his hair is 'under the weather' because he's been dyeing it a lot and he's been stressed out over the appearance of some scalp blemishes. Everyone agrees that it's a concern, especially Luna who has to change her hair color and style for her appearances on music television shows in Korea. She laments that her hair never gets any time off. Members of the studio audience pipe in with their concerns: scalp blemishes and scabs, hair weakness due to heat styling. Honey Lee reassures them that this is the show for them as they'll learn hair and scalp care tips in this episode. The episode du jour is entitled "Hair Care Recipes."

Nooni Spring Water Seed Essence Toner, an Ideal Before Noon Boost of Hydration

The Spring Water Seed Essence Toner by Memebox's house brand nooni, is one of three products sent me for review from this line. I've been using this toner for about a month now, and have finally formulated an opinion about it so here goes nothing. Click to read the two other nooni reviews about the cleansing water here and ceramide cream here. :-)

I selected this product based on the ingredients list which boast carbonated water, olive oil, and green tea extract which I hoped with lead to a very moisturizing and oxidation and UV damage-preventing product. Second, this product is gargantuan, clocking in at 350ml, a full 200 ml more than most other toners and essences I've encountered in the Kbeauty world. (Bigger doesn't always mean better, but it surely is mildly satisfying to know that the product is such a great deal). Lastly, I was intrigued by the inclusion of quinoa extract in the ingredients list, something not stressed in their marketing message for the product.

So let's get right into it.

Disclosure: There are press samples and affiliate links in this post. All opinions are my own. Purchasing through an affiliate link is one way you can choose to support this blog at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk. If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.

Neogen Code9 Lemon Green Caviar and Tox Tightening Pack Kit Unboxing & First Impressions

Hi everyone, today I have a quick unboxing and first impressions of the Neogen Code9 Lemon Green Caviar Essence and Tox Tightening Pack Kit, sent by Memebox, through their Brand Ambassador program. This is my first time using a product from the Neogen brand so I am/was excited to see how it works out.

Neogen Dermalogy is actually kind of like Club Clio in the sense that it's a beauty conglomerate and houses multiple brands. So Neogen Dermalogy is the momma brand and there are 3 brands in all - Neogen Dermalogy, Code9, and RE:P. All three brands are certified cruelty-free as designated by the Leaping Bunny Cruelty-Free standard that was launched earlier this year.

For awhile whenever I thought about Neogen, the images that came to mind were all-natural, fruits and antioxidant packed skincare that came in the simplest and chicest of packaging. But boy is this Code9 brand offshoot a departure from this image. You'll see why below.

According to Memebox...

This is a multifunctional solution essence infused with lemon extract, green caviar, multivitamins and 55 kinds of natural organic extracts that brightens, firms, hydrates, nourishes and tightens the skin in just a single use! This essence is paired with a 100% pure cotton gauze pad that has a cushion sheet and patterned pad that effectively detoxifies and exfoliates the skin. This advanced concept allows nutrients and active ingredients to be fully absorbed by the skin. With continuous usage, it transforms the skin into smoother and more youthful state.

Disclosure: There are press samples and affiliate links in this post. All opinions are my own. Purchasing through an affiliate link is one way you can choose to support this blog at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk. If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.

Get It Beauty 2016 Episode 15: "Aging Backwards"

Get It Beauty is a Korean beauty network television program shown on the OnStyle channel. It's hosted by (from left to right) actress/model Kim Jung Min, actress and former Miss Korea Honey Lee, and beauty editor Hwang Min Young. They are joined by special MC Luna of Kpop girl group F(x).

They used to release episodes with English subtitles, but stopped back in 2015, so every once in awhile, when I see a show with some useful skincare tips, I like to translate them on the blog. Today's episode is all about tips and tricks to make everyone think you're aging backwards.

The hosts try to guess what the three celebs pictured on the jumbotron screen have in common. 

The show starts by introducing 3 Korean celebrities (Song Joong Ki, Kim Tae Hee, and Kim Hee Ae); the hosts are asked to guess what they have in common. The commonality is that they are known to be 'babyfaces'. Host Honey Lee introduces the topic, stating that people may be born babyfaces, but it's possible for anyone to rewind the clock by using the tips presented on today's show, the "Her Time is Flowing Backwards" special. This episode is all about cultivating beauty and skincare habits that will have everyone guessing your age.

Cherry Blossom Makeup Look & Aritaum Product Reviews

One look I've been seeing trending on Korean beauty Youtube channels has been this bright pink and cherry red look, often dubbed the "Cherry Blossom" makeup look/tutorial. The look brings the focus onto the cheek and lips as it features heavy handed pink blush and a glossy red (often gradient) lip. I recently noticed that two of the makeup products I purchased not long ago are actually great building blocks for this particular look, so I thought I'd give them a quick review, along with a FOTD of what the cherry blossom look I'm referring to above looks like.

The two products I picked up (pictured below) are the...

Aritaum Sugarball Velvet Blusher in 04 Peach Crush
Aritaum Water Sliding Tint in 06 Wild Strawberry

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post. Purchasing through an affiliate link is one way you can choose to support this blog at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk. If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.

Nooni Root Therapy Cleansing Water Review, Gettin' Fizzy With It

I received the Nooni Root Therapy Cleansing Water from Memebox through its brand ambassador program and will be reviewing it for you today. But long story short, I had a very YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary, or less than stellar) experience with this product, so I will be brief with this review.

Nooni is Memebox's own in-house skincare brand that launched towards the end of 2015. They first came out with an oil-based cleansing balm and now have added this cleansing water, a toner, a cream, and various other types of skincare to their lineup. 

This particular cleansing water is fortified with the essence of various plant roots and carbonated water sourced from CheongJu, South Korea, and it is meant to remove makeup as a first cleanser. It can also be used to remove oil cleanser residue, so as a second cleanser. The featured roots are lotus (high in antioxidants), fig (actually not that great of a skincare ingredient, it is a potential irritant), and beet root (another antioxidant). I'm uncertain of the benefits of carbonated water to the skin, but when you shake the bottle up, it's fun to see it fizz and bubble over.

Disclosure: There are press samples and affiliate links in this post. All opinions are my own. Purchasing through an affiliate link is one way you can choose to support this blog at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk. If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.

Get It Beauty 2016 Episode 12 - Sun Care and UV Defense

Get It Beauty is a Korean beauty network television program shown on the OnStyle channel. It's hosted by (from left to right) actress/model Kim Jung Min, actress and former Miss Korea Honey Lee, and beauty editor Hwang Min Young. They are joined by special MC Lizzy of Kpop group Orange Caramel and After School.

They used to release episodes with English subtitles, but stopped back in 2015, so every once in awhile, when I see a show with some useful skincare tips, I like to translate them on the blog. Today's episode is all about how to fight the aging and imperfections brought on by UV radiation. This is the sunscreen and sun care episode.

Honey Lee says 'you may have been born with great skin, but there's no such thing as having been born with strong skin'. She'll coat you with UV protection through the advice given in today's episode.

Lizzy of After School and Orange Caramel

[Memebox] Nooni Advanced Repair Therapy Cream Review

Hi all, it's been a while since my last full-size skincare product review. I like to rotate products into my skincare routine every 2 - 4 weeks to make sure that I can pinpoint whether or not a particular product is giving me great results, hence the delay. But today I'll be reviewing the nooni Advanced Repair Therapy Super Revitalizing Cream sent to me by the lovely Memebox team.

Disclosure: There are press samples and affiliate links in this post. All opinions are my own. Purchasing through an affiliate link is one way you can choose to support this blog at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk. If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.

Mamonde Vivid Touch Moisture Lipstick in 08 Orange Flower Review

Warm weather is almost upon us once again and with it the promise of many joyous occasions like weddings, barbecues, picnics and more. Face it, there will be many occasions to wear a bright spring/summery lipstick to brighten your mood and your makeup look. In my last Aritaum haul I picked up a lipstick to help me get into a spring/summery mood and it is this Mamonde Vivid Touch Moisture Lipstick in 08 Orange Flower. I haven't seen much information on these lipsticks online yet so I thought what the hey why not give the internet that rare beast, the k-beauty makeup review.

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post. Purchasing through an affiliate link is one way you can choose to support this blog at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk. If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.

Aritaum Salon Esthe Bio Cellulose Masks in Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid and Brightening Pearl Reviews

I'm going to review the final two masks from my Aritaum mini haul for you today. These are the Aritaum Salon Esthe Bio Cellulose Masks in Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid and Brightening Pearl. They ended up in my basket because it was a) the only sheet masks at the store were from Salon Esthe or Mamonde, the latter of which has mixed reviews and mostly b) these are neeeew and I always manage to convince myself that the English-speaking internet neeeeeds more reviews of new K-beauty products. So yes, for those of you who are still interested, let's just get right into the short reviews for today.

Aritaum is a brand that's under the Amore Pacific umbrella of brands and they carry mostly makeup items, however, earlier this year they launched a brand under the Aritaum name called Salon Esthe, and it features mostly skincare items - namely different types of sheet masks and wash-off mask packs. In terms of the Bio Cellulose masks, there are 4 kinds - Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid, Brightening Pearl, Lifting Collagen, and Soothing Teatree.

Biocellulose masks are the fourth generation of sheet masks, which have evolved from paper, to cotton, to hydrogel, to biocellulose. One of the reasons why biocellulose is supposed to be technologically superior to the prior types of masks is because of the way the fibers are cultivated and manufactured - they're supposed to be antibacterial, so great for those whose skin is sensitive or acne-prone. In terms of feel as Tracy of fanserviced coined this term, they feel like face condoms. Or to be more accurate, they feel like a thin, clingy film not unlike the Leaders Cosmetics Coconut Gel Masks, which you've seen me review here before on the blog and may have tried yourselves before, as they are quite popular.

Salon Esthe Bio Cellulose Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid Mask

These masks come in silver foil packets and have the name and a design printed on the front along with the type of mask it is - each mask design is the same except for the color of the design. The foil makes it feel all future-y.

Get It Beauty 2016 Episode 11: The Beauty Layering Episode

Get It Beauty is a Korean beauty network television program shown on the OnStyle channel. It's hosted by (from left to right) actress/model Kim Jung Min, actress and former Miss Korea Honey Lee, special guest emcee Luna from Korean pop girl group F(X), and beauty editor Hwang Min Young.

They used to release episodes with English subtitles, but stopped back in 2015, so every once in awhile, when I see a show with some useful skincare tips, I like to translate them on the blog. So without further ado, today's episode is called the Beauty Layering Episode and it's all about mixing and matching products.

Goodal Calming Wash-Off Pack with Rose Review

When my skin is a flaky mess, as it has been over the past week or so (tretinoin and potentially a little overexfoliation), I tend to avoid using wash-off packs - you couldn't get me to go near one with a 10 foot pole~ There is however only one mask I'd make an exception for in this particular circumstance, and that is the Goodal Calming Wash-Off Pack with rose.

This mask is one of the most gentle, hydrating, and skin-balancing wash-off packs I've ever had the pleasure of using and a great one to have in stock if you're a fellow dry skinned lady (or gent). So you've probably already guessed, today is a very favorable review of this particular face mask.

Source: Club Clio USA

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post. Purchasing through an affiliate lin is one way you can choose to support this blog at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk. If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.

Salon Esthe Cel:Cushion Mask Review

Now that the weather is less Chicago winter tundra and more mild and temperate, I haven't been using sheet masks quite as often as I used to. I did manage to pick up a few that had piqued my curiosity while visiting my local Aritaum store to try out. Over the weekend I had a special occasion for which I used one of the haul's spoils to prep for. The mask I'm talking about is the Salon Esthe Cel:Cushion Mask in Nourishing Ceramide.

The Salon Esthe brand (meaning: Beauty Salon) is a relatively new purely skincare brand under the Amore Pacific/Aritaum umbrella of brands. I first started seeing their products around in early 2016 - they do a variety of sheet masks, including heated masks, and some wash-off packs as well.

The Cel:Cushion mask is their basic cotton sheet mask, and they have 5 varieties: Nourishing Ceramide, Lifting Collagen, Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid, Brightening Galactomyces, and Soothing Calming Propolis.

Considering how dull my skin's been looking, I thought that I would pick up a few of the Nourishing Ceramide masks to strengthen the moisture barrier by giving it a boost of skin-soothing ceramides and various other good-for-you ingredients.

Aritaum USA (formerly Amore Pacific) Haul

Gone are the days where we have to idly sit by, with creepy sheet masks on, waiting to jump the mailman for our hauls from the wonderlands that are TesterKorea, Jolse, and RoseRoseShop. A few weeks ago, it was announced that Aritaum USA is expanding their footprint in the U.S. and Canada with 60-70 stores opening in North America. Of course I took the opportunity to check out a store for myself.


The In-Store Shopping Experience

My particular Aritaum store is a converted Amore Pacific store in a local Korean grocery nearby Chicago. It's a small hole-in-the-wall that carries brands like Amore Pacific, IOPE, Laneige, Mamonde, and Aritaum. They also carry hair products from companies like Mise En Scene and Ryeo. The actual store is super tiny and they carry about a third or a half of what is available at a Korean Aritaum store. There is one salesperson at the store and everything is within arm's reach for her, that's how small the store is. With that being said, the store is bright and cheery with all of the products organized and lined up in a row as though to say 'haul me'. Obviously JK, but the store is easy-to-shop and the salesperson is very knowledgeable. There are often one or two deals going on in store (the one at the store I visited was a free Aritaum Water Sliding Tint with a premium lipstick) and of course there's some sample service as well.

The Damage Done

So here are the results from my little stopover at Aritaum:

2 Salon Esthe Cel:Cushion Masks in Ceramide
2 Salon Esthe Bio Cellulose Masks in Hyaluronic Acid and Brightening Pearl
Mamonde Vivid Touch Moisture Lipstick in 08 Orange Flower
Aritaum Water Sliding Tint in 06 Wild Strawberry
Aritaum Sugarball Velvet Blusher 04 Peach Crush

1 Free Sample: Cleansing Special Gift Set with the IOPE Ideal Cleansing Foam Whipping Brightener, IOPE Moisture Skin Cleansing Cream, IOPE Moisture Skin Soft Peeling Gel

The Salon Esthe masks I've been meaning to try for awhile now and the makeup bits are for a tutorial in the future. :-) I'm also super pleased with the free samples as I'm saving them up to use when traveling in the future.

Look out for some new reviews, tutorials, and swatches in the next few weeks. :-)


Have you many Kbeauty stores near you? What is your preferred way to do your skincare shopping?

Disclosure: If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.

Sulwhasoo White Ginseng Brightening Mask Review

I mentioned this product in my post about skincare for women in their 50's and 60's and beyond. The post I'm referring to is the skincare bounty that is my mother's treasure trove of beauty products, where this product was first introduced and of course usurped into my routine. Lol.

I've been using this product every once in awhile lately, and thought that it could use a little review. The product I'm referring to is of course the Sulwhasoo White Ginseng Brightening Mask, and it's an exfoliating wash-off mask with some of my favorite ingredients, ginseng, honey, and beta-glucans.

Sulwhasoo is one of the luxury brands under the Amore Pacific conglomerate. It's their Korean oriental medicinal line and it features herbal extracts that are native to Korea for the most part, along with some plants that are native to China and Japan. The brand was started in 1967 and tries to 'balance the energies of the skin to give it a nourished and healthy complexion'.  Sign me up, I'm on board with that statement.




According to Sulwhasoo's U.S. website, this pack is a wash-off gel that purifies and promotes radiant-looking skin. The white ginseng promotes the skin's natural circulation and hydration, honey and beta glucan hydrate the skin and promote supple, even skin tone. The white ginseng powder gently exfoliates, restoring health and vitality to the skin.

So the claims of the pack are that it purifies skin, promotes radiance, skin circulation, hydration, and evens skin tone. That's quite a lot to pack into one wash-off mask so let's see if it delivers.

Clio Salon de Cara Back Comb Waterproof Fiber Lash Mascara Review

There are many entrants in the Asian beauty 'long name' mascara world. I recently did an update on the Isehan Kiss Me Heroine Make Long and Curl Mascara, and I'm back again today with another review dedicated to the lashes. The Clio Salon de Cara Back Comb Waterproof Mascara Long x Curl Fix is a fiber lash mascara from one of the most popular Korean makeup brands, Clio Professional. I received a deluxe sample of this mascara as a gift with purchase and I wanted to call it out because it's definitely exceeded my expectations. AKA I had none, and now I turn to this mascara pretty often. I prooobably should have done a comparison review between this and the Kiss Me Heroine Make Long and Curl  (shall henceforth be known as KMHMLC for the rest of this post) but that didn't happen and so, the Clio will get its very own, short review today. =-)

I like using this mascara when I want a very black, and voluminous lash look. The KMHMLC gives a black, lengthened, and lifted look to the lashes, so with the two in my arsenal I've got both day and night looks covered.

Sidenote, if you have almond shaped eyes, the Shiseido curler is the business!

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. Shopping through an affiliate link is one way to support this blog at no additional cost to you. All affiliate links are marked with an asterisk. If you're curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.

3B Box Unboxing and First Impressions

Those of you who have been following the blog (thank you) know that I'm not one to do too many unboxings, simply because I prefer to pick out my own products. But beauty boxes are often fun ways to discover new brands and try products that you wouldn't have necessarily picked out for yourself so when 3BBox approached me to review one of their boxes, I said why not?

I'd been curious about 3B Box for quite some time as in my mind it's the "beauty box with the wait list", as in it has pretty much always been booked out since the launch even. There's always a wait list for the service. Anyways, so here are the details about 3B.

Their mission statement is the following: "Our passion is bringing beauty beyond borders. We help you discover the most popular Asian beauty products through our curated pouch of deluxe samples each month."

3B, which stands for Beauty Beyond Borders, is a monthly subscription service where you can sign up to receive 4-5 deluxe Asian beauty product samples for $12 a month. They currently only serve the U.S. market.

I spoke with one of the founders Ke, who was kind enough to let me know a little bit more about what they strive to do better than their beauty box competitors. According to Ke, they send mostly skincare products every month. They tend to send not only popular Asian beauty products, but also new and trending ones, as well as some premium products out in their cute, purple mesh pouches (another differentiator: they use space-saving pouches instead of actual boxes). Some of the brands you can expect to see from them are affordable favorites like Etude House, Lioele, etc. and some higher end ones like SK-II, one of the top beauty brands in Asia. The pouches are curated by the 3B team using customer feedback like monthly surveys as well, so they like keep their customers' needs in mind.

So let's get into the unboxing shall we?

This isn't the most recent box they sent out for the month of April, but rather a box they had previously curated last year, that they thought would suit my dry skin type.