Review: Missha Deluxe Sampler

I recently did a Missha BB Cream review, so now I want to finish up on reviewing what was actually in the Missha Deluxe Sampler.
So here's the sampler again (detailed breakdown of samples and sizes are in a previous post here.)

 

Free Missha Deluxe Sampler includes: Super Aqua Detoxifying Peeling Gel 20ml ($4), Perfect BB Deep Cleansing Oil 18ml ($3.40), Luminous Color Lip Gloss SPF10 2.5g (full size! for $6.99), M Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 23 10 ml ($6), and BB Boomer 10ml ($6.25). --- Prices are in comparison with the full size product.

This sampler includes very decent sizes of Missha's most popular products. This sampler itself is worth about $27 and it is FREE as long as you pay the shipping and handling fee ($5.99). See details at the end of the post.

So I tested out each of the products in this sampler and I really really love them all. I've already mentioned how much I love the Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA++ in No. 23 Natural Beige in the review post.

But here's a detailed breakdown of each sample in order of use:


BB Boomer - The BB Boomer serves as a primer for BB Creams. According to Missha, it has a whitening and wrinkle-repairing capabilities.

• Looks - It has a lightly pink, iridescent hue.
• Texture - It feels like a moisturizing lotion but a bit on the runny side. More like a thicker Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizer.
• Scent - It has the same fragrance as the M Perfect Cover BB Cream: a lightly sweeten/baby powder scent. (It smells so good, I couldn't stop myself from sniffing it.)
• Other Facts - Made from pink pearl powders.
• What I think - It really does give me a brighter complexion when I first put it on. I'm not sure how long the staying power is because I put on the BB cream right away. I usually just put it around my eyes and my shadows as if it's a highlighter. I don't put it all over my face. I love the texture. Makes it feel like a real moisturizer.

M Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 23 - The BB Cream comes in No. 23 Natural Beige. Some think it's hard to distinguish whether it's really a Makeup or Skincare product because it's really supposed to help heal your skin rather than just cover it up.

• Looks - The second darkest of the 3 color tones that Missha has. Comes out the tube looking like a dark beige. See swatch #3 here.
• Texture - Feels like liquid foundation, not too thick, not too runny.
• Scent - A very addicting lightly sweeten/baby powder scent.
• Other Facts - SPF 42!!
• What I think - If you read my review, you can tell that this BB Cream really does blend with any skin tone. It gives a flawless, dewy and natural finish on my skin. It covers up my dark circles and red spots on my T-zone very well. It stayed on for more than 12 hours! Best of all its SPF42, so I don't have to worry about applying sunscreen afterwards. Not sure how well it really is "treating" blemishes yet.

Luminous Color Lip Gloss SPF10 - Cute mini lipgloss with a cell phone strap attachment, so you can literally carry it anywhere.

• Looks - Hot pink color with glitter.
• Texture - Non-sticky creamy lipgloss.
• Scent - Reminds me of bubble gum in a tropical scent.
• Other Facts - Very small, but it's suppose to be a mobile attachment.
• What I think - I didn't like this color when I first saw it, but after I tried to put it on, I fell in love with it! It leaves such a cute baby pink hue with the right about of gloss. It's not sticky at all. Lips just looks very natural. And it has pretty good staying power too. It was still there after a couple of hours. Only problem is, I still don't know what color it is! >.<  So I can't restock. The mobile version is really small and it was a little hard to dip the wand to grab more gloss. Once I find out what color it is, I think I'll get the full size one, though $20 for a lipgloss is a bit pricey. Edit:: The color of this lip gloss is PK06.

 M Luminous Color Lip Gloss Swatch

 

M Luminous Color Lip Gloss on my lips

Perfect BB Deep Cleansing Oil - Missha cleanser made especially for removing the Perfect Cover BB Creams and other waterproof makeup

• Looks - Very watery, I thought it was a toner at first.
• Texture - Once you start touching it, you'll see that it really is an oil based makeup remover.
• Scent - Reminds me of my anti-bacterial sanitizer.
• Other Facts - Made from plant oil.
• What I think - Haha, at first, I thought I received a bad product, because it's supposed to be an oil, but it was super runny like water. I soaked a cotton pad and used it to remove all the makeup/BB cream that I had on my face. I never liked using makeup removers because they're usually made from an alcohol-based and dries up my skin. But  this leaves my face feeling and looking very oily. It cleaned up my face pretty well. I tried using my Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Foam Cleanser on a cotton pad and cleaning my face one more time and there was no discoloration on the cotton pad!

 BB Perfect Cleansing Oil on my hands and makeup removed on the cotton pad

Super Aqua Detoxifying Peeling Gel - Missha's exfoliant scrub for renewal, detoxification and brightening of skin.

• Looks - It's a milky color.
• Texture - Actually feels like jelly.
• Scent - A light cleanser scent, not very fond of it.
• Other Facts - Made from fruits, milk, and green tea extracts!
• What I think - I was actually very reluctant in trying this. I have very sensitive skin and can easily get irritated, so I never use any "peel" facial care products. I gave it a try anyway and it wasn't harsh at all! It felt like a regular cleanser and to my surprise microbeads started forming! I think this is what Missha claims to be the "impurities" on my skin. (Not that I'm saying I have perfect skin with no impurities, but I highly doubt my skin will start forming into beads as I massage this product on my face. THAT'LL actually be VERY SCARY if it is true.) Nevertheless, beads started forming and after I wash my face clean of the product, my skin felt extremely soft (comparable to the results from St. Ives Apricot Scrub). I really liked it and it didn't dry out my face one bit.

Super Aqua Detoxifying Peeling Gel out of the bottle

 

Super Aqua Detoxifying Peeling Gel "Impurities" highlighted by the circles

Overall, I was HIGHLY satisfied with this sampler set. I'm willing to try out all these products and use them in my regular routine. All except the Peeling Gel, it seems too pricey to achieve the same results as my St. Ives scrub, but I'll continue using the sample and see it's brightening effect. That would be  my decision factor.

If you're already an existing Misshaus.com member, right now if you refer 1 of your friends, you can get ANOTHER Missha Deluxe Sampler coupon added to your account. Talk about deals for you and your friends. If you're a new member, please put my email address mellie.closet@gmail.com as your referer so I can get the sampler kit too! =D  Thanks in advance.

Feel free to leave any questions/comments for me.

Click here to check it out on Luuux. http://www.luuux.com/share/95e529cc18d6adb4

Review: Missha BB Creams

So its finally here. I've been testing these BB creams for almost 2 weeks now, finally can write the review because I've found the perfect way to wear them!
Before I start commenting, let's look at the facts. I've seen you guys landing on my page with search terms like "How light is Missha BB Cream #21?". Here is a swatch on all the BB creams that I got in my last haul (refer to previous post).

 

The SWATCH 1. Missha BB Boomer, 2. Missha M BB Cream, 3. Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream in No. 23 Natural Beige, 4. Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream in No. 21 in Light Beige, and 5. Shiseido The Skincare Tinted Moisturizer in Light.

 

The Same Swatch order, just took the picture on a different day to show the colors.

Here's how they look. I took it under a camera flash on the insides of my arm (I'll say my arms are fairly light).  Also compared it with my Shiseido The Skincare Tinted Moisturizer in Light =)  so you guys can actually go and compare it. The regular Missha M BB Cream is darker than the No. 21 Light Beige but lighter than the No. 23 Natural Beige. All the Missha BB creams have a brownish/nude color to it where as the Shiseido The Skincare Tinted Moisturizer is more of an orange tone.

None of these BB creams were extra runny or too creamy or too thick. They feel like regular moisturizer, the non-greasy kind. Very lightweight.

They have a light sweet/baby powder fragrance. (Smelled SOOOO gooood that I couldn't stop sniffing my arms while taking these pictures. =P )  The pumps from the 2 Perfect Cover BB Creams were a little annoying to use though because I was paranoid that I'll pump way too much.

The Missha BB Boomer works as a primer for the BB creams. It has a pink, iridescent color to it.

 

Blending each BB Cream - same order

After attempting to blend in the different creams, you can tell that the No. 21 is a lot lighter. The M BB Cream seems to have blended most easily along with the No. 23 in Natural Beige.

 

The Final Product

Haha, the final product. Surprisingly, I think all of them blended into my arm pretty well. With the exception of the Tinted Moisturizer, you can see a subtle difference on my arms (it looks a bit lighter).  But all 3 Missha BB Creams blended very well together to fit my skin tone! =O  You can also see a light glow on my skin. At this point all the product have completely dried on my skin and it's not the flash reflecting off moisture from my skin.

First Tryouts: I've used a different combination of the BB creams on my face to try to cover my dark circles and a few blemishes. They have pretty decent coverage and they lasted all day. During the first days, I saw the "gray cast" that most people complain about with the BB creams. I looked pale as a ghost! O.O  And I looked completely ridiculous with my pale face and darker shade hairline (I'm still trying to get rid of a tan from the past X'mas break).

My Adapted Routine: But I haven't given up! After 2 weeks of trial and error I finally found what works for me. Less REALLY IS MORE! In the beginning, I've applied way too much cream on my face, leaving a cakey-gray cast. I realize, using the No. 23 Natural Beige (because I still have a tan), I only need a FLAT dime size amount of cream on the back of my hand. Here's what I'll do:

1. AFTER cleansing and moisturizing my face (yes, I still moisturize), I dab the Missha BB Boomer under my eyes and around my cheekbones and forehead. Really makes my face glow.
2. Next, I dab on the dime size Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 23 in Natural Beige with my ring finger and dab it under my eyes, on my eyelids and around my brow bone. This will prevent you from looking extra light on the eyes. @_@ (haha, an inverted panda look).
3. Then I dab the rest of the BB cream over my blemishes. Mostly under my nostrils above my lips and on other acne scars and spots I have. And I'm done!
4. If there's a gray cast or I look extremely pale again, I dab my MAC 187 brush into my foundation powder and just stiple away. Or you can try to mist a bit of water of your face to let the cream settle in. It works out just as well!
5. Remember to cleanse your face at the end of your day! BB creams have color in it so it's still a makeup. You must wash it off!

My Thoughts: The pictures are proof that BB Creams DO REALLY adjust to your skin tone! (Well the Missha ones, anyway).  I prefer the Perfect Cover BB Creams mostly because it has a SPF 42. Perfect skin protection. And the scent is just driving me crazy! Too bad it doesn't last that long, maybe only 3-4 hours. The BB Cream coverage, however, lasted me ALL day, more than 12 hours after I came home. And I just LOOOOVE the dewy glow that it leaves behind. It leaves a nice soft finish on your skin. Not exactly matte, but natural healthy looking skin. After I finally got it right, people actually noticed and commented on how refreshed I looked! They had no idea that I had makeup on. I just look wide awake and refreshed, ready for another long day!

So I'll definitely continue using these BB creams. My next challenge to them, is how well they actually help HEAL your blemishes.

Let me know what you think! And you can still try these Missha products out during their promotion. (Refer to previous post).

Review: Eyes Lips Face ELF Nail Polish Remover Pads

Here's a quick product review on one of the necessities that I always carry with when I'm traveling. It's the Eyes Lips Face ELF Nail Polish Remover Pads.

 

Eyes Lips Face ELF Nail Polish Remover Pads

ELF sells very economical beauty products. Most of their makeup are only $1 each! These pads come in a very cute plastic container. There are 18 pads in each container and it's also $1.

 

My nails before using the nail polish remover

Here I have 2 layers of nail polish plus a top coat. (The nail polish I got from The Face Shop and the top coat is from Sephora).

 

My nails after the nail polish remover

I really love them because 1 pad can remove all the nail polish on both my hands and my feet. These pads clean really well. All nail polish residue are all REMOVED! They don't dry out my nails like regular nail polish removers. But they do dry out my skin a bit. If you click on this image, you can probably see the white lines surrounding around my cuticles. But I don't mind a bit, I use a hand cream afterwards anyway.

The nail polish remover pads don't dry out. I had one container opened for more than half a year and they were still really fresh.

They come in this fresh citrus scent, no harsh acetone smell like regular nail polish removers.
I haven't tried any other brands, and I probably won't. These are very cheap and I usually bundle with a couple of other products on eyeslipsface.com to get better deal. They always have pretty good deals and coupons. Right now, they're having a Buy 1 Get 1 50% off sale. Works on all their products.

P.S. Missha BB cream reviews coming very soon. I just need to get good swatch pictures. Stay tuned!

Missha Beauty Shopping Haul Jan 2010

My Missha Beauty Shopping HAUL! Notice I put the exact date that I made my purchase. I'm expecting another haul REALLY REALLY soon...

So my Missha package arrived, shipping was super duper fast. I think I received 2 days later after I submitted my order. The damage was $60.62. And very very well worth it.

 

The Bill

The purchase was well worth over $100 because of so many goodies I got.  They had their winter sale so a lot of products I bought was up to 70% off. I mean LOOK at all the stuff I got!

 

Missha Beauty Shopping Haul Jan 2010

 

Free Missha Deluxe Sampler includes: Super Aqua Detoxifying Peeling Gel 20ml ($4), Perfect BB Deep Cleansing Oil 18ml ($3.40), Luminous Color Lip Gloss SPF10 2.5g (full size! for $6.99), Perfect Cover BBB Cream No. 23 10 ml ($6), and BB Boomer 10ml ($6.25).

This Deluxe Sampler Set is well worth the $5.99 shipping if you just want to try it out. I calculated the value of the samples based on their current selling price on misshaus.com. The lip gloss is really cute though not exactly my color, but I haven't tried it yet.

 

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF42 PA++ in No. 21 Light Beige 50 mL compared with my sample 10 mL

Now, I bought the BB cream in the No. 21 Light Beige because I wasn't so sure which color is more right for me. So I was glad that the No. 23 was included in the sample kit. I want to test these out for a couple more days before giving a real review.

Missha M BB Cream 50 mL (it was FREE) and BB Boomer 40 mL (part of set with M Perfect Cover BB Cream)

Haha, now I actually got the M BB Cream for FREE! It was part of their promotion for January to get a free full size one with $60 purchases. The BB Boomer is used as a base for the BB creams.

Foot Scrubs! Body Scrub and Bubble Sponge

Scrubs, Scrubs, Scrubs! My work attire is business casual. Wearing heels daily really takes a drag on my feet. I've used whole wide range of foot scrubs and creams. Just trying these out since they were so cheap. =) $1.80!

 

45 cents Nail Polish! I had 2 others that I started using already.

I got a bunch of these nail polishes because they were only $0.45 each! I tried to use one of the pale peachy one right away but I wasn't too satisfied, I'll give it a couple more tries before I give them the final verdict.

 

The Style Stick Eyes, Eyeliner Pencil, Eye Shadow and Designing Hair Wax

Some other makeup products I got from the sale rack. =) Bought mostly the white and highlighting colors. Can't wait to try them out too.

Free Samples with Purchase. Comes with Super Aqua Hydrating Emulsion and Toner, Detoxifying Peeling Gel, M Perfect Cover BB Cream in Natural Beige (No.23), and a cute mirror cellphone strap.

These are the "Free Samples with Every Purchase" that Missha gave out. They are really, really small sample sizes compared to the Deluxe Sampler. I mostly love the cute mirror cellphone strap. Very handy with a really clear mirror. Now if only there was a way for me to attach a phone strap on my phone. =(

So this was my first purchase! Currently, there's a promotion for newly registered members. Not only do you get a FREE deluxe sampler kit but you also get a 20% off coupon! You can use them both together. You can sign up here. Add mellie.closet@gmail.com as the "Referer Email" please. They used to have a referral program, I'm just curious if it still works.

It's actually Missha's US website's 1st anniversary on February 5th so they're giving everyone a $20 off $40 purchase from Feb 5th to Feb 12th! (Talk about deals, but their winter sale is over, unfortunately, but this coupon is still good to use on its usually non-promotional products like the all famous Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA++).

Summary of Misshaus.com Coupons/Promotions

• Free Deluxe Sampler Kit about a $27 value (Just pay for $5.99 shipping)
• Free Shipping on Orders over $40
• $20 off of $40 purchase coupon if you become a registered member

P.S. Just a quick note, I'm not affiliated with Missha in any way, I'm just sharing what I know. =)
Reviews of these products will be posted soon. Also my fashion haul. (Me shopaholic.)

Innovative Japanese Inventions - Hair Fringe Holder Pads

We all know how smart and innovative the Japanese are. I'm pretty sure you've all seen some of the crazy ideas that the Japanese have. Well it's also because of them that we have the coolest beauty inventions. Today's post is about the DARIYA Maegami Fringe Holder.

 

DARIYA Maegami Fringe Holder

I used this pair of goodies day and night every day. If you're like me, bangs can be a nuisance when you're cleansing your face. The last thing I need is to have my face wash foam go into my hair and leave icky residue in my scalp.

 

Me with my messy bangs that are too short to be pulled in a ponytail.

These DARIYA Maegami Fringe Holders really does the job. They hold up hair without bending and damaging your hair. They're really just 2 large rectangular velcro pads. (Yes, that's it. Nothing special. ) The hair are held up from its roots, so you don't have to worry about curling your hair, especially if you have straight bangs.

 

My messy hair held up with 1 pad.

 

Hair is completely away from my face.

My bangs are held in place and it doesn't slip off the velcro! Sometimes I'll bum around at home all day long with these babies on my head. (looks kinda weird with 2 pink squares in my head. They're also available in black.)

 

Zoom-in on a hair holder pad

I found these in Mitsuwa in Edgewater, New Jersey and in JAS Mart, St Mark's Place in New York City. They were about $4 for each pair. Definitely a bargain comparing to all the nuisances to me clipping and tying my hair up.

Let me know what you guys think~! Enjoy~