Monthly Empties: February, March & April 2015 & A Personal Update

Somehow I managed to turn it into quarterly empties again, but work and personal life has definitely taken a toll on my time! I just got engaged! ^_^  Even though it's only been a month, so much has already happened. We've taken the plunge and already made an offer for our new home! Hopefully everything will work out so we can move forward and onto home decor. So exciting!

With a new home in the horizon, I really need to start downsizing on everything I own, not only on makeup/skincare but also on clothing and bags and shoes. I'll be posting a lot of items on my Poshmark (@mellie_closet) and on Ebay. Check it out if you're interested, mention my blog and I'll offer 10% discount!

Now I'm really on a mission to empty out more products, there should be more products going into these posts.

February 2015 Monthly Empties 

February we have mostly skincare and samples used up!

Monthly Empties: 1st Qtr 2014

Time to share what has been showing up in my Glossybox at the end of the month. Sadly it really has turned into quarterly empties post, but I'm working on it!

January 2014 Monthly Empty

January of 2014 was a pretty boring month. Only 3 items emptied out, but I finally finished my Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Emulsion (and yes this is the old packaging so you know how long it's been sticking around!)

Review: Missha Complexion Coordinating BB Cream in No. 2

BB creams was all the rage a few years ago and now this past year, we see a flood of CC creams on the market. Missha's M Perfect Cover BB Cream was the first I ever tried and I definitely jumped on when MisshaUS.com announced they have the Missha CC cream on their Facebook page! Of course there was a little false advertising, in my humble opinion, because it wasn't a CC cream, instead they called it their CC BB cream. (Confusing eh?) Well Missha launched the new Complexion Coordinating BB Cream .

Missha Complexion Coordinating BB Cream No. 2 - Flawless Complexion

Twist top packaging

Bulky packaging compared to the M Perfect Cover BB Cream despite the same content

Missha Complexion Coordinating BB Cream Facts

Monthly Empties: Aug & Sep 2013

My long awaited monthly empties! There's so many products to show for Aug and Sep, ironically, there's probably only 2 items for Oct that I see so far. I guess I used up things quick for the summer time.

Aug 2013 Empties

End of Summer 2013 - Beauty Haul

I haven't been hauling as much as I used to now. Trying to have some more self control on spending and not splurge just because it's a good deal or there's a gift with purchase. You will notice that this haul post is filled with products that are new on the market and intrigued me enough to buy.

Shiseido Benefique Haul

Shiseido has a new line of skincare, Benefique. This line launched in US earlier in the year and is only available at Shiseido boutiques (no department store counters). Don't confused this with the other Shiseido line Ibuki that also just launched this year which IS available at department store counters and Sephora. I bought the Benefique NT Emulsion II (150mL) which is a lotion for dry/combination skin types for $45. Review coming soon!

Monthly Empties: June 2013

Another month and another monthly empties post! At least I'm sort of keeping up. =)

June 2013 Empties

Missha's Holiday Shopping Event - $15-$20 off $40 purchase

For those of you that stumble on my blog for Missha BB creams, misshaus.com is currently hosting a Holiday Shopping Event.

All new and existing users are entitled to a minimum of $15 off every $40 purchase ($20 if you're their VIP)!

Sign up here. Be sure to add my email address mellie.closet@gmail.com as the Referer Email to give me a 10% coupon! ^_^  (Of course, you're not obligated to do so.) New accounts will also be entitled to a BB Cream deluxe sampler set! Free shipping for all orders over $40 as always.

Happy Shopping!

Missha's 40% off Everything (BB creams) for Thanksgiving 2010

$8.99 BB creams!

For those of you that wanted and didn't want to break the bank to try out BB creams, Missha will start their Thanksgiving sale with 40% off ALL PRODUCTS on Nov 25th till Nov 28th! This includes the oh so famous Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream that I've raved sooo much about! I still get waaaaaaaay too much attention about them on my old wordpress blog.

Also, I see they are currently doing a promotion on the Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream, they're only $8.99, but currently out of stock already. =(   I would have stocked up on them, though I still have another unopened full size one. =P  But it's such a good bargain! Haha. Be sure to check it out!

In addition, (haha so many deals!) if you never shopped from Misshaus.com before, you can sign up and receive a free item! Right now, they're giving away a free Papaya Foot Scrub. Sign up here. Be sure to add my email address mellie.closet@gmail.com as the Referer Email to give me a 5% coupon! ^_^  (Of course, you're not obligated to do so.)

Happy Turkey Day and happy shopping!

Review: Missha Garden Pleasure Honey & Lavender Body Scrub

Here's a review on Missha Garden Pleasure Honey & Lavender Body Scrub. I didn't really want to review it before using it "enough". I don't use body scrubs on a normal basis. This was my first body scrub. My first intentions were to use a body scrub to exfoliate my body. But this body scrub was a bit disappointing.

Missha Garden Pleasure Honey & Lavender Body Scrub

The body scrub is normally $12.99 (currently on sale for $7.79), but I got it during Missha's clearance sale, so I paid $3.90. (You can check the haul post here.) The size of the squeeze tube is pretty big (comparable to Bath and Body Works' bath gels) at 6.76 oz. And I like the fact that the package sticker is water-resistant too, (haha, I'm just quirky like that, but I get annoyed when package stickers are not water-resistant and the paper just falls apart or fades away when you used them in the shower, so this was definitely a nice touch.)

Thick Body Scrub Cream with tiny beads

After spreading it out a little bit on my hands, notice how the beads end up on the edges now.

Now for what's inside the package: the scrub is actually really thick and creamy-like. And you can see all the little beads. Everything looks good until I start massaging it onto my skin! The scrub sort of dissipates on contact with my skin. The beads feel like they got dissolved away, so that it doesn't feel like I'm scrubbing my skin at all. And since it's a scrub, its not supposed to be foamy or anything. So in the end it just feels like I'm rubbing cream on my skin. I barely feel any effects of exfoliation.

With my overall experience, I doubt I'll purchase this again. I'm going to finish this tube mostly on my feet. I think it'll be a better foot scrub than body scrub.  =P  I also bought their Foot Scrub with more positive results, reviews on that coming soon.

Review: Missha M Shimmering Ball Blusher

I realize this is a very late post, especially considering I got it in my Feb Haul back in 2010. So here it is: the Missha M Shimmering Ball Blusher in No.1 Pastel Glow.

Missha M Shimmering Ball Blusher in Pastel Glow - $19.99

This blusher is a little different from normal powder blushes. The packaging is very cute. Instead of a powder pan, it has these little powder balls in a small bottled container. It comes with a lambswool brush as part of bottle's cap. There's another external cap to protect the brush. Very handy for traveling!

Now for the powder pearls. I got it in Pastel Glow so instead of a blusher, I use it more like a highlighter.

here are 5 different color pearls: in white, yellow, violet, blue and pink! According to their website: violet helps brighten the skin, the blue help reduce the appearance of yellow and dull skin tones, yellow helps reduces redness, pink creates an appearance of younger skin, and the white evens skin tone.  These color properties are generally followed for every makeup product. Not so sure about the yellow though, because usually green is used to reduce redness.

The brush is very soft! I just swirl it around the bottle and the brush will pick up enough for one use. I generally use it to highlight my T-zone (across the forehead and down my nose bridge) and add a quick swipe along my cheekbones to create a bit more dimension on my face. I like using this as a highlighter because it doesn't contain any shimmers or glitters, just a subtle brightness across my face. The powder is very fine, doesn't create any cakey-ness at all.

This actually reminds me of the Guerlain Meteorites Pearls that I've seen at Sephora, but I never actually use it. I didn't want to spend $56 on those pearls especially seeing it end up being a bunch of powder dust in the container at Sephora. So this is a nice dupe. There's a little bit of powder dust on the bottom of the Missha ball blusher container, but definitely not to the extent that I've seen at Sephora.

Really love this highlighter, I'm tempted to try out the others that's actually a cheek blush. =)

Missha Secret Sale

Here's a quick entry to let everyone know that Missha is having a 50% off sale on their Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream!


This is a secret sale and not open to the public. =)  Just something for my readers!

http://www.misshaus.com/pageControl.php?page=secretsale

Review: Mascara Showdown - Clinique, Missha, Revlon

I have very short, straight lashes, no matter how I curl them, they end up sticking out straight. Kinda sad. I've tried out numerous mascaras, here's a few that I'm currently trying out. Just want you all to be clear, I don't always praise the things I review. I can complain too. =P

Mascara Showdown - From Right to Left - Revlon Double Twist, Missha The Style HD Viewer 270 Mascara Setting Volume, Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara, and Clinique Lash Definition Mascara

1. Missha The Style HD Viewer 270 Mascara Setting Volume & Professional Volume $5.99 - I got these during one of my Missha hauls. It's actually not that bad. Volumizes and extends my lashes pretty well. Formula is not too dry. Did not smear/smudge on me at all. Lasts me all day long. I really like it, except it's hard to wipe off. This is not a waterproof mascara, so generally I would think it'll come right off with warm water, it actually leaves residue when I try to wash it. You will definitely need makeup remover to get rid of it. Both the Setting Volume and Professional Volume seem to have the same effect on me. They have the same brush comb too except the Professional Volume one is a bit bigger. <3<3<3
   
   
   
   
   Missha The Style HD Viewer 270 Mascara Setting Volume & Professional Volume
   
   
   
   Missha The Style HD Viewer 270 Mascara Setting Volume (top) and Professional Volume (bottom)
   
   
2. Clinique's Lash Doubling Mascara $14, High Definition Mascara $14 - I have a bunch of Clinique sample mascaras, (thanks to my mom and her friend's shopping sprees). I've tried these both so far and I really love them. Not that I see a difference between the two. I think they have the same exact effect on me. Don't really volumize, but they extend my lashes and really spread the individual lashes out. Very long lasting also, but it smudges a bit through out the day. Easily washes off with warm water, so don't cry! <3<3<3<
   
   
    
   Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara
   
    Clinique High Definition Mascara
   
   
3. Revlon Double Twist Mascara $9 - I got it as part of a special 2 pack deal at CVS for $9. I thought it was a  great deal and w/ Jessica Alba's picture on it, I bought it right away. It has a huge comb to supposedly thicken lashes and the longer bristle sections to define individual lashes. The result: clumpy eyelashes with smudge spots all over the eye area. The comb was way too big and oddly shaped, by the time I have one side touching the roots of my lashes, the other side of the comb already smeared all over my eye lids. Horrible mascara and it leaves clumps. Needless to say, I got rid of the other one right away. I think it would probably work for those who already have long lashes.
   
   
   
    Revlon Double Twist Mascara (the bristles look scary!)

I finally found my holy grail eyelash curler! I've tried out numerous curlers and haven't found one that I really liked. This curler I actually got during my sasa.com haul. It's the Kai Teeny’er Lash Curler ($2.60). It's a Japanese brand, and sasa.com don't seem to sell it overseas anymore. At first glance, I thought this was a horrible curler because the arch was just sooo curvy. Little did I know, it fits my eyes perfectly. It doesn't pinch my eyelids and it covers my entire lashline with 1 curl. I guess I have curvy Asian eyes.=P

 

Kai Teeny'er Eye Curler

 

Kai Teeny'er Eye Curler's Curve Arch

Review: Missha Green Grape Yogurt Sheet Mask

Finally got a chance to review this mask! I got the Missha Yogurt Sheet Mask in Green Grape during one of my January Missha Hauls.

 

Missha Beauty Shopping Haul Jan 2010

I decided to get them because they were only $0.60 on Missha's clearance page here. I've never been much of a mask fan because I have very sensitive skin. I once used a Shiseido mask that ended up irritating my face soooo badly, it got ALL red for a couple of days.
So for $.60 I got a couple of these.

 

Missha Green Grape Yogurt Sheet Mask (1 sheet - $0.60)

 

Mask Ingredients and Directions

 

Missha Green Grape Yogurt Sheet Mask  -- Actual Mask

Mask Review

• Size - This face mask is REALLY big, out of all the masks I've ever used (which isn't many) this was very big. It was too big for my face. The sides of the mask was covering my ears. The slits were off, mostly because the mask was too big. There were no eye covering pieces.
• Scent - Smelled exactly like its name, Green Grape. =P  It was actually a very nice relaxing scent that I enjoyed. 5 stars! *****
• Mask Essence - I think it was just right for my face. No dripping and messy essence overflow. The mask formula wasn't too thick like lotion nor too watery. =P
• Overall Experience - The directions say to leave on for 20-30 mins, so what do I do? Leave it on for 15 mins! (Haha, why? Because I really have very sensitive skin, my face turned red and rashy after 1 bad experience, so from now on, I try to be extra careful.) So for the 15 mins resting with the mask on, it felt very soothing, especially with the grape scent. After washing off the mask, my face felt very soft and radiant, as if I just exfoliated. Although the effects of the mask didn't last more than a day. I'll definitely get it again since it's only $0.60.

P.S. As of the time of this review, misshaus.com no longer have this mask in stock. But you can try their retail stores.

Missha & Cosme-De Beauty Shopping Haul Mar 2010

Haha, another haul post! Well this time, I did it for a purpose (for the Missha purchase anyway) =)  to claim my winning prize for the Missha Sampler Review contest! You can check out my winning post here.

 

Missha Mar 2010 Haul

Once again, Missha ships out super fast! I got it within 2 days after they dispatched it. Nicely package so I have more boxes of peanuts. ^_^ I did notice that they increased their shipping charges, it's now $8.99. So make sure you rack up at least a $40 purchase to get that FREE SHIPPING!

Unfortunately, it looks like Missha took away the 20% coupon for first time shoppers, it's only 10% now but you still get their Deluxe Sampler. Go sign up here and put mellie.closet@gmail.com as the referrer email!

 The Missha Mar 2010 Damage (I mean Bill).

There are a lot of items on their clearance page. This time I got mostly their makeup products. I really wanted to try out their 270 Mascara! Got really tempted after watching this commercial. Will review how it comes out. (I know, I know, I owe a lot of reviews.)

Youtube Commerical

Next, I started browsing fuzkittie's blog and got very tempted to try out the Silk Whitia masks that she boasts about. =)  Sooooo I have another haul from sasa.com that should be coming soon. =(  though it's been more than 2 weeks since I purchased, it still hasn't arrive yet.

On the other hand, I purchased something from cosme-de.com, which is another Hong Kong Online Beauty retailer, and I received my package in less than 5 days!!! (I don't even get my US orders delivered as quickly!)  They seem to be a very promising online retailer as well. Best of all, they provide FREE SHIPPING for ALL ORDERS!

 

Cosme-de.com O'slee Haul

I was reading about these sleeping masks from O'slee, so I decided to give it a try. It makes it so much better that they had a BOGO sale on O'slee products. So I got O'slee Clear Spa Sleeping Mask, Rosehip Revitalizing Hand Therapy, and Skin Aerobic Whitening Sleeping Mask. All Buy One Get One Free. ^_^V  They also have a $5 coupon off $25 purchase if you are a first time customer.

 

The Cosme-de.com Bill (not too bad)

Last item from beauty haul, Laneige sample pack. =)  Retails for $13 from cosme-de.com but I got it off from an eBay seller (seller sold out now). Very small in size but nice for travel.

 

Laneige Snow Crystal Clear & Hydrated Skin Sampler

Coupon Summary:

1. Missha
   
   
   
   • 10% off for first time registrants (add mellie.closet@gmail.com as the referrer email!)
   • Free Shipping for orders over $40.
   • Clearance sale ongoing.
2. Cosme-de.com
   
   
   
   • $5 off $25 purchase for first time registrants (add mellie.closet@gmail.com as the referrer email!)
   • Free Shipping for ALL ORDERS.
   • Promotion sale ongoing.

Review: Missha Nail Color

So I bought a bunch of these during Missha's January clearance sale. Who can blame me they were only 45 cents each!! You can check them out  here they are available in their clearance sale right now with a pretty good selection in colors.

 

45 cents Nail Polish! I had 2 others that I started using already. From left to right: WH102, RD103, BE103, and PK106

The packaging of the nail polish is very pretty and cute in a flower shape (their logo signature) glass bottle. And for the price you get a decent amount (11.5mL).

Now I usually only wear sheer and neutral colors because of work. Their selection choices included a lot of glittery and sheer colors. I bought the beige and the glittery colors.

The scent of nail polish is always very strong (my brother usually runs away when he sees me take one out). These didn't smell too awful when I opened them.

I like the fact that they're pretty runny. I'm really bad with applying nail polish, so being runny is good to me. I thought the brush was a bit short though, it might be a problem when I use it up. Haha, probably not a problem for me because I never finish any one bottle of nail polish  before it dries out anyway.  =)

After applying my base coat, applying the color was pretty easy. But it took forever to dry! Even with a very thin coat, my nails just didn't dry. After 30 mins or so, I went to bed only to find super messy and icky nails in the morning. Very disappointing. I had to wash it off right before I went to work, the ELF nail polish remover pads proved to be super handy once again.

 

My Left hand is wearing BE103 and my right hand is just base coat.

I gave these nail polish another chance this time after waiting for about 15 mins or so, I put the top coat on right away. I used the Revlon Extra Life No Chip Top Coat.

 

Revlon Extra Life No Chip Top Coat, very shiny and dries really fast.

The Missha Nail Color was instantly sealed with a super smooth and shiny coat. It was actually the first time I used this top coat. Very refine and runny just like the Sally Hansen ones. Top coats should be this way so that you can reapply as often as possible to seal in chipped nails. We'll see how long it'll last me.

This BE103 color doesn't dry as fast as the glittery one I tried. The red one (RD103) actually dried pretty quickly and wasn't sticky at all. Seems like the ones with glitter and an iridescent color dries much faster. But those were really, really sheer as oppose to this solid nude color. RD103 merely left a pink hue on my nails with lots of glitter.

With the top coat on, I really like the outcome. Very soft nude color but not completely invisible under the eye. Totally worth it for the 45 cents!

Update: I finally decided I should wash off the nail polish. The nail color along with the top coat actually stayed on my nails for 7 FULL DAYS! =O      My longest ever! Actually to my surprise, the nail polish (Missha Nail Color) only that I played with and applied on my toes are still there, unchipped!  But hands being washed constantly I'm still very surprised that it made it this far! Too bad they don't have many colors that I'll actually wear. =)  I might stock up though. Haha... another haul?

Missha Beauty Shopping Haul Feb 2010

Ahh.. finally my second haul! Sorry it took me so long. But here it is. I got this during Missha's anniversary sale, which included a $20 off $40 purchase coupon! Great way for me to try out their M Prism Multi Blusher and the Missha M Shiny BB Cream SPF 27 PA++.

 

The Bill

I wanted to make sure I get $40 purchase so I can qualify for their free shipping. ^_^

 

Missha Beauty Shopping Haul Feb 2010 (Deluxe Sampler not included)

First of all, I want to thank the reader of this blog who referred me on Missha. I was qualified for another deluxe sampler! Last time, I already wrote how much the deluxe sampler is worth here. So keep referring your friends. Missha will automatically add a coupon into your account for a free deluxe sampler set. Their shipping fee increased to $8.99 now.

These product reviews will be available real soon! =)

Just a quick recap on Missha deals and steals:

• Get 20% off right now when you sign up AND receive a deluxe sampler set. You can sign up here.
• If you're already a customer, no worries, you can still refer your friends Add mellie.closet@gmail.com as the "Referer Email" please. ^_^
• Free shipping on all purchases over $40! They are currently running a clearance sale! Don't miss your chance to try out these products.

Missha Deluxe Sampler Review Event Winner!

I won! I won! I won!  =D  haha am so very happy. I want to thank the Missha team for picking me. The other winners have some great reviews too. See here for winners list. Now I can't wait to get the full size version of the sampler! =D  I smell another Missha haul coming right up!

 

Missha's Deluxe Sampler Review Event Winners!

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).

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.)