ohmyglossiness

The idea of using heat to open up pores is a widespread idea that isn’t really all that true. Because pores can’t open or close, they don’t have a muscle to control the opening. Thus, “steaming open your pores” isn’t a real thing. However, heat can help loosen up dirt and oil, so there is still benefit in using heat when cleansing your face. Lab Muffin has a great post that goes into the pores opening myth and heat.

Ingredients:

PEG-400, Sucrose, Glycerin, PEG-75, Seasamum Indicum (Seasame) Seed Powder, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Lanolin Wax, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 20, Dimethicone, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Parfum

The mask is very thick and gloopy, you can see some bits of black sesame suspended throughout. The little pieces are very soft and truthfully not abrasive at all. Also, there isn’t enough black sesame in the product to really work on your entire face. So when I’m massaging the mask on my face in circular motions there might be a few spots where I can feel the black sesame , but not enough to cover my whole face. Think of a sugar or salt scrub that’s primarily made up of the scrubby sugar/salt, meaning that there’s enough grains to work against every inch of your skin.

Also, the hot aspect of this mask is quite a let down. I think I can detect an eensy weensy bit of warming when I initially slap on the mask and rub it around. But the sensation is so slight and fades so quickly that you really don’t notice it. Especially if you’re using this mask in the shower like I do, the warmth of the shower far overwhelms any bit of heat this mask might be producing. Really it just kind of felt like I was rubbing greasy tangyuan filling all over my face.

Tangyuans are delicious little glutinous rice balls stuffed with black sesame paste in a warm, watery soup. Come to think of it, tangyuan filling is probably more scrubby than this mask.

Pros:

Ok maybe I’m being overly negative, but I can’t think of anything positive to say. This was a very underwhelming product and I would not recommend to anyone at all regardless of skin type. Sorry Skinfood, but you missed the mark on this stuff.

Cons:

-Not warming

-Not scrubby

-Unsanitary jar packaging

I purchased this item at The Face Shop in Flushing, NY for about $10. I was actually quite surprised how affordable it was, because the other sun products were marked up to be around $20.

Ingredients:

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, Titanium dioxide, Glycerin, Dipropylene glycol, Ethylhexyl salicylate, PEG-10 dimethicone, hexyl laurate, dimethicone, disteardimonium hectorite, cyclotetrasiloxane, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, chamomilla recutita, melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil, betula alba bark extract, talc, magnesium sulfate, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum stearate, dimethicone, caprylic glycerides, fragrance, imidazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben

This sunscreen uses physical filters (titanium dioxide). Physical sunscreens often have the infamous white cast. I’m pretty pale so it’s not a concern for me, but people with medium to deep skintones may not enjoy physical sunscreens because of that. The sunscreen also has tea tree oil (melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil), which has oil control properties.

This stuff is definitely a THICK cream. Not runny at all.

I generally aim to apply about a nickel-sized amount for my entire face, which is the amount this article by The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends. It sinks in pretty quickly, I don’t have to keep massaging my face forever and forever for all the greasy residue to sink in like some creamy sunscreens. It doesn’t leave a matte finish, like when a high alcohol content sun milk sucks away all the moisture from the surface of your face. I’d say it leaves more of a satin finish. There is a very light, inoffensive fragrance that goes away once you rub in the cream.

I think that for the drier winter months when I’m more concerned about hydration and less concerned about oil control this sunscreen would be a good choice. In the summer when I’m greasy central I’d rather use a more mattifying sun milk. During the summer I would get noticeably shiny by midday, requiring several sheets of blotting paper. And so, my current tube is on hiatus and I’m back to using a sun milk for summer/fall. Hopefully I can use this sunscreen during the winter, when my oil levels are a bit more manageable.

I do think this product is a rather nice sunscreen. However, I can’t help but feel disappointed when a product that has ‘oil control’ in the name does a lackluster job in oil control. Once I went back to a sun milk it became immediately clear to me the difference in how oily my face became. If you only have mild oil concerns then this product is worth a try. For the super oily? Hmm there’s better sunscreens for that.

Pros:

-very affordable, even at the physical The Face Shop locations

-absorbs quickly and easily

-fragrance is not heavy or cloying

Cons:

-doesn’t quite live up to the oil control name

Sadly the Wet n Wild Fergie primer (and the rest of the Fergie line also) seems to be discontinued now, and so I wasn’t sure if I should still be discussing a product that people can no longer buy. However, Wet n Wild did release a new primer which may or may not be a repackage of the same formula. However hopefully by the end of this review you can see why I decided to keep the comparison instead of doing just a singular Milani review. Milani’s primer can be found in stores such as Target and CVS.

To test these two primers I did my usual eye makeup routine of:

Light dusting of HD translucent setting powder over the entire face

Eye primer (I tested Milani on the left eye and WnW on the right eye)

Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Gel Eyeshadow

Powder eyeshadow

Eyeliner

Dab HD translucent setting powder on eyeliner

Curl lashes and mascara

From hand swatches (Milani on the left and Wet n Wild on the right) you can see that the two primers are pretty different. Wet n Wild’s has a pink undertone and is much more runny. Meanwhile, the Milani primer has a yellow undertone and is more on the drier/thicker side.

Here is my makeup at the start of the day:

Here is my makeup after 8+ hours of wear:

As you can see there is noticeable smudging on the Wet n Wild eye. There is some transfer to the upper part of my lid, and the entire lid itself is looking a bit shiny from oil. The Milani side’s eyeliner is a smidge less black as before, but the line itself is still intact and not smudged.

I purchased this product on Memebox for $20, which is one of the few online vendors to stock this product. Koreadepart, Amazon, and eBay are other places to find this cream.

According to Memebox: “Worrying over tons of skin troubles? Annoyed with your acne, fine lines, dark spots or rough skin? Besolbo introduces its premium skincare product made from the finest natural ingredients. With salmon egg being its key component, this cream is rich in vitamins and minerals beneficial to the skin. It regulates the skin’s moisture and nutrition production to be able to enhance its color, texture and overall condition. It is great for hypersensitive skin, aging/sagging skin and dull skin as it has nourishing properties that can help eliminate skin imperfections.

Key ingredients include Salmon Egg Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Rose Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Seaweed Extract” I cannot find the complete ingredient list anywhere sadly.

A plastic cover inside the lid keeps the eggs sealed and secure. A little plastic spatula is included as well. Using the spatula is much easier than trying to scoop out eggs with my giant sausage fingers, and luckily the spatula fits well under the lid.

Now on to the little eggs themselves...

They look exactly like real salmon eggs! The product is a translucent orange gel. I initially expected them to “pop” like real eggs and be full of liquid. Turns out it’s actually a firm gel shaped into spheres. To use it you scoop out the eggs (Memebox advises to use 2-3 eggs) and smush them on your hand, then spread the gel onto your face. I typically use 1-2 eggs and carefully pat my face until my skin no longer feels sticky.

Sleeping packs are heavier creams you spread onto your face at night and as you sleep the thick layer of goodness can slowly work its magic on your face. Thus, a lot of sleeping packs end up feeling heavy on your face and with a noticeable residue texture on top of the skin. I find the cream not too heavy, my skin isn’t left looking super grossly shiny or tacky like with some other thick creams. Having used this product pretty regularly for almost 2 months now I can safely say that whenever I use this cream I wake up the next day feeling better about my face. The morning after my face appears even-toned, any acne issues seems calmed down, and with a bouncy and elastic texture.

Pros:

-Cute packaging

-Won’t leave face feeling sticky

-Visible skin improvements after waking up

Cons:

-Sushi haters may not be a fan of the packaging? Orange Caramel would be so disappointed in you

(honestly I can’t think of anything truly negative, it’s a solid sleeping pack for a decent price)

I purchased this tub for $9 at the Koreatown TonyMoly store in Manhattan.

TonyMoly boasts 90% snail secretion filtrate. Further down the ingredients list is various citrus unshiu (satsuma mandarin) extracts. This product does not contain triethanolamine, artifical dyes, paraben, mineral oil, or benzophenone-5. However, alcohol is the 2nd ingredient, which may be irritating to some.

Under the lid is a plastic cover to make sure the gel doesn’t gush over the sides of the container. The cover is very thin, and does not have the TonyMoly logo embossed on it. I’ve made quite a dent now, but the brand new tub was filled to the very top. Do exercise caution when opening for the first time or else snail gel will spill everywhere.

The gel is a cloudy white color, and have a thick jelly consistency. It isn’t as runny as an aloe gel (such as my Nature Republic aloe), and so holds its shape a bit better. The gel is scented, when I first open the tub I get a good whiff of the smell. But once the product has absorbed into my skin I no longer detect any fragrance. I don’t find the scent a complete turn off, but it isn’t something I particularly enjoy either. I tolerate it for that snail-y goodness, but not a smell I would like to bathe in.

The snail gel is great for increasing moisture but without the heavy, greasy feeling of a creamy lotion. However, this is still a lightweight gel and not a heavy duty moisturizer for very dry skin. It absorbs very quickly and skin feeling smooth and soft.

Pros:

-Absorbs quickly with no greasy feeling

-You get a lot of snail for your buck

Cons:

-Fragrance is meh

-Unsanitary tub package

I purchased this product at Club Clio’s Union Square location of Manhattan for $18, the set retails for the same price on Club Clio’s US site. As always, there are cheaper options online such as $8.48 at Jolse (shipping included) or $6.48 at RoseRoseShop (shipping not included). On Amazon Prime there is one shade available for $9.86.

I have shade 2 Get The Eye.

As with many Clio/Peripera products that claim to be long lasting, this product is sold in a mini set with a lip remover. I have yet to use the remover.

The package looks like a dropper bottle but the little top is actually hard plastic, not a squeeze dropper. Inside is a bar-shaped applicator.

Hand and lip swatches:

This stuff stays put like nobody’s difference. Here’s my hand after using a makeup removing wipe and multiple hand washings.

This product has a thin, watery texture. Make sure you don’t load up the applicator or else you might have excess dripping down your mouth like bloody vampire drool. There is a light fruity scent, like a fragrant fruit tea. I find it very enjoyable and very fleeting, unless you hold the applicator right up to your nose you probably won’t notice any smell.

The tint dries quickly and leaves the natural texture/finish of your lips.

What I find challenging with watery tints is making your lips all one even color. This tint is great for the popular Korean gradient lip look, where the inside of the mouth is more pigments than the edges of the lips. The tint clings much more easily to the inside, and so if I want an even color and crisp lip line I need to follow up with another product.

Pros:

-Long lasting

-Not drying

-Delicious fruity scent

-Good for gradient lips

Cons:

-Not so good for traditional all over lips

Rebuy worthy?

I purchased my Kat Von D liner at a physical Sephora store for $19. Meanwhile, I purchased my Clio liner at TesterKorea for about $18 not including shipping. Both liners contain .02 oz (.55 ml) of product. Kat Von D is exclusive to Sephora so the cost is firmly set, while the prices of Clio products differ slightly between retailers. Jolse and Beautynetkorea seem to currently be offering the lowest prices at around $11 with shipping included.

The packaging of these two liners are almost exactly the same, save for the printed on logo designs. Clio claims their eyeliner is so long lasting, it even comes with a tiny bottle of eye makeup remover that I have yet to use.

Interestingly enough, the Kat Von D liner was made in Korea while Clio’s (a Korean brand) was formulated in Japan.

They look very similar when swatched on my hand, but Clio’s is a touch more opaque. I’d also say the Clio settles into the tiny wrinkles of my hand more. This may be of concern to someone with lots of wrinkles and fine lines in their eye area.

I used several different tests to compare the durability of these liners. I rubbed the swatches with my finger, ran my hand under water, and rubbed with my finger while under running water. Both liners held up well during the first 2 tests. But in the water + rub test the Kat Von D liner started to fade much more than the Clio liner.

A bonus picture of my hand after washing with soap trying to scrub off the swatches. As you can see the Clio is much more resistant.

But of course eyeliner is meant to be worn on the eyes, not your hand. So I tested their wear time on my eyes as well.

My eyelids are hooded, which means most of the lid is hidden. Product transfers easily because the lids fold onto themselves. They are also oily, so eye makeup can disappear very quickly. To ensure that my eye makeup doesn’t budge I take several steps:

Light dusting of entire face with HD translucent setting powder (a la the Wayne Goss method)

Eye primer (I’m currently using Wet n Wild Fergie Take On the Day Eyeshadow Primer)

Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Gel Eyeshadow (I stick the jar into my bra beforehand so that it warms up and is easier to work with)

Powder eyeshadow

Eyeliner (next step comes immediately afterwards before I open my eyes fully)

Pat HD setting powder onto the eyeliner to make sure it is 100% dry

I wore Clio on my left eye and Kat Von D on my right eye. Other than that my makeup routine was the same. I kept my makeup on for 6+ hours.

Results look mostly the same, both held up very nicely. I repeated the test a second time to see if the same results would occur. This time I wore my makeup much longer, around 12 hours (accidentally fell asleep...bad I know).

This time there was obvious wear and tear on both eyes, especially the inner corners. The Clio eye faded, while the Kat Von D eye faded and got smeared around the eye area.

I think both eyeliners are fantastic and would recommend both. The two liners are also available in brown for those wanting something a little softer in color. However, for someone looking for a super long lasting eyeliner the Clio Kill Black Waterproof Brush Liner is the clear winner.

Rebuy worthy?

If one were to play a fashion week drinking game potential topics are:

-Pant legs wider than your entire body

Ji Oh

-Unfortunate tan lines

Rag & Bone

-“Florals? For spring? Ground breaking.” 

Alice + Olivia. Although really just taking a shot for every floral ensemble you see will get you wasted enough to think Donatella Versace looks human.

According to BCBG Max Azria, bucket hats are going to be very in.

I can’t help but be reminded of EXO’s Overdose head attire.

For when you can’t let a bad skin day crimp your style Givenchy has you covered.

As someone who never grew out of their middle school obsession with Neopets, Mara Hoffman was giving me all kinds of cloud paint brush realness.

Who wore it better?

Proenza Schouler’s favorite pokemon must be Gothitelle.

Good guy Yeezy giving us a trend we can all participate in.

Remember folks, keep your clothing far away from the paper shredder.

Parsons MFA

If you’re not sure whether you should wear flare or skinny pants, Hellessy gives you the best of both worlds.

Those better not be fake pockets like every piece of women’s clothing ever. 

Edeline Lee

I usually enjoy seeing zany makeup creations. But Gareth Pugh’s looks are the stuff of nightmares.

Not disturbed enough? Have some more.

We often giggle at the accessories of old Asian ladies. Who knew their giant visors were actually very fashion forward.

Giulietta

Is that a big cock or is Markus Lupfer just happy to see me?

My shoulders felt a chill just looking at this J.W.Anderson photo.

Someone desperately needs to tell this Telfar model his head is in the wrong hole.

Ending on a positive note, you should definitely check out the Marchesa collection because no one does beautiful gowns better.

I purchased this for $30 at Club Clio in Flushing, New York.

The metal tin is slim and sturdy, it’s easy to carry around the entire tin or just a single liner. Also, the model on the front looks a whole lot like G-Dragon to me.

The colors in this set are: No. 5 Golden Black, No. 7 Bloody Angel, No. 9 Gold Shine, No. 10 Deep Sea Blue, and No. 11 Jade Green.

The finishes vary by color, from the swatch you can see that some are super glittery a la Bloody Angel, whereas others like Deep Sea Blue are matte.

Deep Sea Blue (10) - A bright marine blue. Much brighter than in the picture. This is the only one with no shimmer whatsoever.

Gold Shine (9) - Super shimmery light gold color. I like using this as a highlight on my lower lash line.

Jade Green (11) - I've realized that jade green is one of those colors with a lot of variants. This is the turquoise sort of jade green, not the pale matcha jade green. Metallic finish.

Bloody Angel (7) - Burgundy red with large pieces of silver glitter. This color has the largest glitter pieces.

Golden Black (5) - Black with subtle golden glitter, so subtle that my camera couldn't pick it up. It only becomes noticeable when turning in the light.

I find that I use Golden Black and Gold Shine the most. I find the set gives a good offering of colors with a basic and dependable black, a highlight shade, and 3 fun colors. Bloody Angel I've barely used because I'm not sure how to work reds into an eye look. Maybe if I ever want to try a Baekhyun look.

We can’t all look as good as Byun Baekhyun with a burgundy eye.

These twist up pencils are thinner in width than the regular size Gelpressos. They also do not come with a sharpener on the bottom of the liner, so you can’t get a super pointy tip.

I find the liners to easily break off. Perhaps I’m twisting up way too much product and applying too much force that the end comes off. Or maybe the stick of product is very fragile due to how thin it is. Which is a shame because my Deep Sea Blue is now pathetically short after breaking multiple times.

A challenge with pencil-type eyeliners is that it is hard to achieve a crisp line. For winged eyeliner I often will use an eyeliner brush to help even out my application. I either smudge out the product already on my lids to soften uneven edges, or I will dab the brush onto the pencil and use the edge of the brush to make a defined line. If I don’t mind my eyeliner not being 100% potato chip crisp I’ll just use the liner by itself.

The texture of the liners is creamy and thick. I like to stick the liner in my bra beforehand to warm up so that I can apply it super smoothly. I find that gel formulas are more prone to skipping and tugging than liquid liners, so I also gently pull the eyelid taut as well.

After letting the swatches set for a few minutes I commenced a smear test by rubbing my finger across the swatches. Part of this test was a gigantic fail because there were some chunks of product that got smeared around, most noticeably the Bloody Angel and Golden Black. When applying to the eyes you would probably want to carefully wipe away any large chunks to prevent giant smearing messes like this one.

Other than that mistake on my behalf I found the liners to hold up fairly well. They aren't 100% budge-proof, but with liners as creamy as these you would probably be expecting a bit of smearing as is the nature of cream and gel formulas. The shimmery glittery bits moved around quite a lot, but the colors stayed in their respective lines for the most part. For these swatches I didn't do my usual routine of eye primer, cream shadow base, and then translucent setting powder on top of the liner. If I had, then possibly the smearing would have been greatly minimized.

I find the liners long wearing, bar some slight creasing in the inner corners after a long day. My favorite way to wear the liners is as a colorful outer wing. I line my eyes with my usual black liquid liner, and then draw the wings out with a gelpresso for a pop of brightness.

Pros:

-Variety of colors and finishes to try out

-Mini size is easy to pop into a bag for on the go fixes

-Decently long wearing (however not necessarily 100% smudge-proof for some)

Cons:

-Tips can break off easily

-No way to sharpen liner, can become blunted with use

Rebuy worthy?

So far I know of two anti-pollution lines. The Etude House Dust Cut and the Holika Holika Dust Out. I’ve used the finish cream and mist in the Etude House line, after reading Pico Prince’s intriguing review. Once I finished up my bottle of mist I decided to give Holika Holika’s version a try. I purchased this product on TesterKorea for about $7. A bottle being 210 ml, this mist comes out to be about $0.03 per ml.

This mist works to repel pollution by creating a mask on your face. Once you spray the mist all over your face the layer tightens into a mask that protects your skin from dust.

This large bottle isn't the most convenient to carry around. However, it is useful that the plastic is see through so you know when you're running low.

The mist spray itself isn't the finest I've experienced, but it isn't terrible. Someone who is heavy handed in their spraying might end up looking soaked, but a good 2-3 squirts will cover your entire face without dripping. The liquid is scented in a way I do not particularly like, although it does fade quickly. This alone bothers me enough that I probably would not repurchase. It's not a bad smell, but if I had to spray a scented mist I would prefer something else. However, perhaps other people would love this scent. The Etude House Dust Cut Mist had a similar smell.

I tested the mist's pollution combatant abilities by spraying half my face with mist, and leaving the other half as is. At the end of day I used cotton balls soaked in toner to swipe each cheek, seeing how dirty each cotton ball turned out. Those who do not wish to see dirty cotton balls may want to stop scrolling.

Can you guess which side was the misted side?

It was the left, however both cotton balls ended up looking roughly the same, not terribly dirty but still some noticeable grime. In the picture the left one seems a little brighter, but that was because I dumbly had a lamp shining from that direction. Mildly disappointed by this lack of discernible difference, I decided to try my test again.

Round 2, a few weeks later. (I ran out of cotton balls earlier and started using cotton pads)

Again, the left side was the misted side. And again, there wasn't much of a difference. The left cotton pad looks a little darker in color, but that’s because of the toner darkening the pad a little,

In conclusion, I would have to say that the Holika Holika Dust Out Mist is not, from my experience, effective at keeping dust out of my skin. Perhaps I don’t live in a dusty enough neighborhood to see visible results. As a simple facial mist it does the trick of refreshing and slightly hydrating my face. However, the off-putting scent makes me reach for other mists over this one.

If you want a basic mist I think there are many other options that are cheaper, less fragrant, more travel-friendly, and/or better smelling. The selling point of this product is its dust protection, which I think it fails majorly at.

Pros:

-one of the larger mist bottles I've seen (for those who want a whole lot of mist)

Cons:

-does not protect against dust

-I personally don’t like the scent

-too big to carry around easily

Rebuy Worthy?

I purchased my tube at oo35mm in Manhattan’s Chinatown for $19.99. Amazon Prime also has a large selection of Heroine Make mascaras for a cheaper price.

The packaging insert makes it look like a mascara Sailor Moon would use.

The tube of mascara itself is a basic cylinder shape. The black top has a roses and sparkles pattern. On the center of the tube is a ornate logo in gold, but other than that the tube is a solid pink.

The mascara wand is slightly curved into a spoon shape. The bristles are short and arranged in a line that wraps around the wand in a spiral. If you look closely you can see little fiber hairs sticking out everywhere. The formula of this mascara is on the wetter side. My phone failed at focusing on the mascara wand unfortunately.

My lashes are short and stubby, not to mention my hooded eyelids covers up majority of my lashes as well, so I'm always on the lookout for a mascara to make my lashes longer. And of course, crazy durable waterproof is a necessity because my oily skin finds a way to make everything crease.

Here is a before and after with 2 coats of mascara. My lashes were curled already in the before photo.

I had forgotten to take a picture hours later, so here's one from the next day. This is about 11 hours after application. As you can see there is a little bit amount of smudging in the outer corner of my undereye area, but not too terribly much. It's definitely improved from my experience with other mascaras (cough cough Covergirl Clump Crusher).

I've been very successful with using my usual eye makeup remover that takes off everything. I’ve also tried double cleansing with cleansing oil then a foaming cleanser while in the shower, which is my usual nightly cleansing routine.

Pros:

-Minimal smudging

-Dramatically lengthened lashes

-Removes easily with makeup remover or cleansing oil

Cons:

-Still a teeny tiny little bit of smudging at the end of the day

Rebuy Worthy?

I received this lip gloss as a free gift when I spent over $50 at Club Clio in Flushing, New York. On Roseroseshop these glosses are $6.22 each.

The tube is rectangular in shape, the middle of the tube is wider in thickness than the ends. The doe foot applicator is long and pointy.

This gloss has strong artificial cherry smell, it reminds me of cherry flavored snow cones during the summer and sticky hands from where your snow cone inevitably melted and dripped all over. Cherry snow cone haters may not like this gloss because the scent is pretty strong.

Pink Lace is a shimmery soft pink that isn’t too bright but still gives a little touch of color. This would be a good color for those days when you’re tired of nudes but yet aren’t quite feeling the Nicki Minaj-esque Barbie pink. The reason why I love pink lip gloss is because of the effortless, no-fuss pop of color you can swipe on quickly. It works for all occasions too. Clubbing? Pink gloss. Job interview? Pink gloss. Grocery run? Pink gloss. A basic pink gloss goes a long way.

On the spectrum of slippery to sticky I would place this gloss on the slippery side. This means that I’m able to move my mouth comfortably, but this also means that water drinking has heightened spill risk. I personally prefer my glosses slippery rather than sticky, so that I’m not constantly prying stray hairs out of my mouth.

Wear time of lip gloss is never terribly long, but I am satisfied. I know I can go a few hours until a touchup is needed. The product does not slowly slide down my lips, but stays put well.

Pros:

-Free! (For me at least)

Cons:

Not much to say here, it’s a lip gloss that does its job.

Rebuy worthy?

I purchased the NYX mist for $8 at Ricky’s NYC and the Skinfood spray for $16 at the Skinfood shop in Flushing, New York. I definitely overpaid because the mist costs under $7 at Roseroseshop and Tester Korea. And around $12 when shipping price is included at Jolse.

At 60 ml of product the NYX mist came out to $0.13/ml while the 80 ml bottle of Skinfood mist was $0.2/ml.

Skinfood Red Orange Makeup Finish Matte Type Ingredients:

Water, Alcohol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract, PVP, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyhydroxysearic Acid, Isononyl Isononanoate, Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Ethyhexyl Isononanoate, Silica, Sodium Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance

NYX Matte Finish Makeup Setting Spray Ingredients:

Water / Aqua / Eau, Alcohol, VP/VA Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Niacinamide, Sodium Salicylate, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Mahonia Aquifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Phenoxyethanol.

The Skinfood mist is packed with lots of fruit extracts high up on the ingredients list. Meanwhile the NYX mist contains English plantain and Oregon Grape extracts respectively at the tail end of the ingredients list. NYX’s mist also has niacinamide, which improves skin elasticity and fades discoloration. Alcohol is the 2nd ingredient in both mists, which may prove irritating to those with sensitive skin.

Both products come in a refillable liquid spray bottle. NYX and Skinfood have completely different design aesthetics as the NYX bottle is minimal and black, very professional in appearance, while the Skinfood bottle is a bright orange with a kooky font.

Skinfood's mist has a strong grapefruit scent, which is odd because grapefruit is not one of the extracts used. But I definitely detect grapefruit, and not another citrus fruit like orange or lemon.

The Skinfood mist has a farther spray range, which means that you need to hold the bottle far away from your face in order to get a properly vaporized mist. If you hold it too close then you may just end up with a dripping wet face.

Something I found startling about the Skinfood mist was that it burned when I sprayed it on my face. By this I mean my face felt very uncomfortably warm for several seconds. A smarter person probably would have immediately stopped using something that burns their face. But I was determined to stick it out and test out this strange flaming liquid’s mattifying potential. Reading others’ reviews on this product it seems that I’m not alone in feeling warm in the face, but there are also people who don’t experience this effect as well.

To put these two mists to the test I tried one on each side of my face. I sprayed the mists immediately after initial makeup application, and then once more 4 hours later. On my face I'm using Laneige Pore Control BB Cushion, which gives a semi-matte finish.

The Skinfood side started getting shiny before the NYX side, but by the four hour mark both were roughly equivalent in oiliness. Makeup setting power-wise my BB cushion held up well on both sides. I’ll have to declare NYX the winner because of the better oil control, and being easily attainable at a good price point.

I purchased this for $5.50 at Nature Republic in Flushing, New York. For 300 ml (10.56 fl oz) of product this works out to $.02 per ml ($.52 per fl oz). This tub is gigantic, so you are getting a lot of product for your money.

Also, Exo promotes this. While I always strive to make rationalized buying decisions, my fangirl heart falls for the appeal to celebrity fallacy so hard when it comes to my favorite Kpop groups.

Ingredients:

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract 92% , Alcohol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Water, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglutamic Acid, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Extract, Melissa Officinalis Extract, Carbomer, PEG 60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Water, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Parfum

Alcohol is second on the ingredients, so it may be irritating on the face for sensitive skin folks. For body usage I don’t mind the alcohol as it helps the product absorb faster and the skin on my legs is much more resistant to the drying effects of alcohol.

There are a purported 8 ways to use this product.

Some people like to put their tub in the fridge for a super cooling experience, which I look forward to trying out on those super hot nights.. I use it as an all-over body moisturizer. However, as the weather gets warmer I try an aloe sleeping pack in lieu of my much heavier Mizon Returning Starfish Cream. I’ve tried using this gel on my damp hair as a leave-in conditioner. Which didn’t work because I woke up with crunchy strands. It might make an alright hair gel though.

The tub is a lightweight, see-through green plastic. Inside is a plastic cover to make sure the gel stays inside the tub and not smeared all over the outside.

The expiration date is March 22, 2017.

This clear gel is very easy to spread around and sinks in super fast. It is lightly fragranced to smell like aloe, but once the gel absorbs I no longer detect any scent.

Kyungsoo doesn’t seem to be talking about the aloe vera gel in this gif, but his description is still very apt. After rubbing in the gel my skin feels softer and smoother, and not at all sticky.

Pros:

-Lightweight feeling on the skin

-Fast absorbing

-Cheap

Cons:

-Unsanitary tub packaging

-High alcohol content

Rebuy Worthy?

I’ve tried many drugstore cleansing wipes but they all left me unsatisfied. I always felt like there was a film of product left on my face. But finally, I’ve found the wipe that can take off my makeup without leaving any residue. Along with my water bottle, The Face Shop Herb Day Cleansing Tissue is a constant in my gym bag.

I purchased a package of 20 sheets for $3 at Manhattan’s Koreatown. That’s too cheap not to buy!

Ingredients:

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat, C12-14 Pareth-12, Butylene Glycol, Phaseolus Radiatus Extract, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Bark Extract, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Bark Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Root Powder, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf extract, Ethoxydiglycol, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Fragrance

Dry skin folks might find the alcohol denat irritating.

The package only has a sticker seal to keep the product from drying out. There is a larger version of 70 sheets that also has a plastic cover for double protection. So far I’ve been careful about placing the sticker back with no air bubbles and my sheets have remained nice and moist.

My main use for cleansing wipes is after exercising if I’m not able to jump into the shower right away. Every once in a while I’ll use a wipe to take off my makeup if I’m way too tired to lug myself over to the sink.

The wipe is durable and lightly fragranced. It is moist but not dripping in cleanser. My skin doesn’t tingle or feel irritated in any way when I use a wipe.

Let’s take a look at the makeup removing prowess of these wipes.

Remnants of the black gel liner can still be seen, as well as a little bit of the blue eyeliner. But as always, I use eye makeup remover for stubborn eyeliner so I wasn’t surprised that my eyeliners are cleansing wipe-resistant.

Pros:

-Doesn’t leave residue

-Removes makeup quickly and effectively

-Crazy cheap!

Cons:

-Flimsy sticker seal is prone to drying out

Re-buy Worthy?

Cleansing oil is an important step because I wear sunscreen everyday, which can be tough to remove. My nightly double cleansing process consists of applying cleansing oil to my dry face and massaging for 30 seconds, then rinsing off. Later I use my CeraVe foaming cleanser on a konjac sponge and massage my face for 30 seconds again, and rinse off.

I purchased my current bottle from TesterKorea for 9,700 won (or about $9).

The classic Skinfood labeling is here, in all it’s vintage-looking comic sans glory. I also appreciate the inclusion of a stopper to prevent the pump from depressing during shipping.

English description on the back:

A cleansing oil that contains mineral-enriched Brazilian black sugar. Dissolves even the toughest makeup and leaves skin soft.

To use: Take a moderate amount of it on a dry hand and gently remove the makeup. Then complete the cleansing by washing the face with cleansing foam.

Ingredients:

Mineral Oil, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Octyldodecanol, Sorbeth-20 Tetraoleate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polysorbate 20, Triethylhexanoin, Water, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alcohol Denat, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Ceraminde 3, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium PCA, Betaine, Sorbitol, Glycine, Alanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Arginine, Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sucrose, Fragrance, FD&C Yellow No 5, D&C Red No 33, FD&C Blue No 1

The oil has a strong lemon scent, a little misleading since I was expecting a sugary scent. It is a faint brown color. Let’s put it’s cleansing abilities to the test.

I went a little overboard with the gel liner.

Most of the makeup was removed, other than some of the gel liner. I did put on a lot of liner, so let’s give it a second round.

Majority of the liner has been removed now, save for two spots that stained my skin. I always use eye makeup remover beforehand to remove stubborn eyeliner anyways, so I’m not concerned. My skin feels soft with a lingering lemon scent.

Pros:

-Effective remover

-Cheap

-Stopper makes the bottle easy for transport

Cons:

-Some may find the lemon scent annoying

Re-buy Worthy?

I ended up buying 3 Color Rich Lipsticks from MBA Cosmetics, also known as My Beauty Addiction. They were 3 for $18. Online the regular price is $7.50

The lipsticks are housed in black casing with a decorative silver band. The name of the shade is on a paper sticker underneath. I chose Fog’et About It, Exotic Orchid, and Sapphire.

Official product description:

Maximum color payoff! Our Color Rich Lipstick is loaded with Vitamin E and Shea Butter for a nourishing & healing lipstick that delivers maximum color. This is not a sheer color, or a lip tint. If you are looking for intense color rich lipstick this is for you!

Ingredients for Fog’et About It and Exotic Orchid:

Castor Oil, Jojoba Oil, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Vitamin E, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide

The ingredient list for Sapphire is a little bit longer:

Castor Oil, Jojoba Oil, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Vitamin E, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Blue #1 Lake, Hydrogenated Polisobutene, Palmitic Acid

There are lots of emollient ingredients to keep lips from drying out including castor oil, jojoba oil, beeswax, carnauba wax, and shea butter. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects the skin from UV damage and free radicals, as well as help maintain the skin’s barrier.

I did not know when purchasing, but these lipsticks come in 3 finishes. The display at IMATS didn’t mention this, and the stickers on the bottom of the tubes don’t either. Turns out I ended up getting one of each texture. Below are the website descriptions of each shade, along with my swatches:

Sapphire is a rich, vivid blue with a slightly metallic/shimmer finish

I was not a fan of this lipstick’s application. The formula is too slippery so it slides around like crazy. I had to carefully dab the lipstick for several minutes to get a somewhat even-looking color. I would swipe some lipstick in one area only to cause it to lift off the lipstick somewhere else. Like how dry erase marker tends to rub itself off, that’s basically this product. I don’t see myself wearing this lipstick out because it is such a patchy, streaky mess.

Exotic Orchid-A gorgeous light medium purple with a hint of pink in undertone. Opaque and has a semi-matte finish

This purple was easier to use, but still took more effort than I’m used to due to slipperiness. Also, purples are becoming more and more available in stores like Sephora and Ulta. So there are many options for purples with an even color payoff. I’m also reluctant to wear this lipstick out because I would need to constantly check on my lips to make sure the lipstick doesn’t patchy. And touch-ups would take a while to get a perfectly even application of color.

Fog'et About It is a light gray that is matte and opaque

I’m happy that the color I wanted most applied the best. Perhaps because matte lipsticks tend to have a drier formula, this lipstick was able to stick to my lips instead of Slip N Sliding around. I would not call this a light gray, I would consider it medium. Also, it looks noticeably darker on my lips than it does in the tube. Out of the three tubes, this is the only one I feel confident in wearing out without my lips looking like a streaky disaster of color.

Here are all three side by side.

MBA doesn’t seem to have completely mastered their lipstick formulations yet. I say this because all 3 of my lipsticks have started sweating. When I first purchased them the lipstick bullets were perfectly pristine, but over a period of 2 weeks the oils have started to separate out of the lipsticks and gathered in large droplets on the surface of the bullet. While the lipstick doesn’t spoil, the separation may impact performance of the lipstick when less oils are present in the lipstick. Also, it looks unsightly on the bullet. I store all my lipsticks together and I have not had any trouble with any of my other lipsticks, so the sweating cannot be due to environment issues. The sweating is a major turn-off because I expect lipsticks to be able to hold up well, especially for just 2 weeks in mild New York City spring weather.

Obvious droplets seen on all three lipsticks. After only owning these for 2 weeks, really?

Pros:

-Lots of non-traditional colors to choose from such as blue and gray

-Samples of these lipsticks are sold through the online shop

-Not drying

Cons:

-Applies very poorly, especially the metallic/shimmer finish

-Sweating

Rebuy worthy?