Iope Air Cushion Review

Iope Air Cushion XP SPF50+/PA+++ in N21

Cushion Foundations seem to be all the rage in South Korea at the moment, and this is the product that started it all. Since its release back in 2010, the Iope Air Cushion has been the highest-selling cushion foundation on the market. Many brands have been releasing their own versions over the years, but Iope's is still the most popular of its kind.

The thing that struck me first was the packaging. Not only does it ooze luxury, it's also functional. Everything you need is in this little compact: a mirror, a puff applicator with its own tray, and the cushion foundation itself, which is a replaceable cartridge. It's the lazy girl's dream. The package itself comes with a spare cartridge as well, which is great value for money, but makes me wonder how fast the cushions dry out.

The main difference between air cushions and BB creams is sun protection. Cushion foundations are designed to provide superior coverage and sun protection that's easy to apply and re-apply throughout the day. The Iope Air Cushion has SPF 50++, which is enormous considering that many foundations only have a measly SPF15 or nothing at all. The formula is quite light, and doubled with the puff applicator makes it really easy to reapply throughout the day. It doesn't seem to matter how much you build the product up either, it never seems too thick or heavy on the skin. In fact, it looks like real skin.

What I really love about this foundation though, is how it looks and feels on the skin. It brightens the skin and makes it glow. It's also very hydrating. It's not so much of a 'dewy' look like what you'd expect from BB creams, but more natural. I was disappointed by the coverage though. It's very light, and struggles to cover pimples or intense redness. So it may be the lazy girl's dream, but she would need to have immaculate skin. So unfortunately the lack of coverage does kind of defeat the purpose of having convenient, purse-worthy packaging for me.

It's not a cheap product, the price ranges from $50 to $100 depending on where you buy it. It does come with an extra cartridge though. I still haven't used up the first one yet, so it can last quite some time (bear in mind I don't use it every day). It's definitely worth it if the product is exactly what you need, a light coverage with heaps of sun protection that you can reapply throughout the day. If I was more comfortable in my own skin (sigh, maybe one day), this would be the ultimate product.

Iope Complete Care CC Cream Review

Iope Complete Care CC Cream in 02, Natural Beige

When I was in Melbourne I managed to pick up my first ever CC cream. I was after the Hera one initially, but after testing it out in store I found it way too moisturising for my liking, so I went with Iope instead, and I’m glad I did! Iope’s Complete Care CC Cream comes in two shades, clear beige (01) for fair pink toned skin, and natural beige (02) for fair ladies (like myself) with yellow tones. As with all CC creams I didn’t expect much coverage from this one (or any at all, really) but I was pleasantly surprised by the results. 

It evens out skin tone, reduces redness around my cheeks and the eczema around my nose and brightens tremendously. It’s not enough to cover dark circles and red spots however, and no amount of building will change that. I like that it doesn’t feel thick or heavy on the skin either, it feels like your skin. It’s also quite moisturising, but doesn’t make my skin look oily until the 3 hour mark, which is when the product starts to break down. So it’s not very long lasting, but a primer would definitely help it last longer. Plus, it has a sun protection factor of 35++. Can’t complain about that.

There is one major thing that really ticks me off about Iope (Laneige are also guilty of this!), they don’t list the full ingredients list on their packaging! For someone who may be allergic or sensitive to certain ingredients this is a huge problem. They do include a pamphlet that takes note of a couple of key ingredients, but how much and in what form?! Gah!

So aside from that, I am pretty impressed with this CC cream. I’m not sure whether I’ll try another one in the near future though. I did start at the top of the market with Iope, so I have a distinct feeling it will only be downhill from here, but if you have a favourite or any you would like to suggest let me know below!

Lioele Triple The Solution BB Cream

I purchased Triple the Solution a while ago in a Yesstyle haul, and finally I'm ready to post my thoughts on it. Lioele is a skincare and cosmetic brand from South Korea and is famous for this BB cream. I have oily skin, so it's hard for me to find something that gives me all the benefits of a BB cream but with lasting power and coverage for my oily skin and blemishes, especially in summer. The Triple The Solution claims to cater for all these problems.

When first applying it I was surprised how thick the consistency was. It goes on thick and dries fast, so I definitely recommend using a moisturising base beforehand. I also recommend not using your fingers, as convenient as it is, I didn't particularly enjoy tearing my face apart. I think a brush works a lot better. I use the Real Techniques buffing brush and I find that helps to fill in any large pores for a smoother appearance. Unlike many BB cream's I have tried this one has medium to high coverage, and covers any red spots or volcano's I might be sporting. Unfortunately I don't find this very buildable. When I try to apply another layer it can look cakey. This is probably because it dries matte, so if you have oily skin you won't have to worry about looking too greasy or shiny. When I wear this out for the day I only need to touch up with some powder once. It also has SPF 30 PA++, so you're also getting adequate protection from the sun.

Speaking of sun protection, two of the main ingredients in this cream are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, both which provide full coverage from UVB and UVA rays. This is the kind of stuff you find in physical sunscreens (aka the best kinds). As for the other key ingredients, there is arbutin for whitening, beeswax which has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties , and Hyaluronic acid for added moisture. There couldn't have been much of these last two ingredients in the cream because I do find it drying at times, and can accentuate the hell out of any dry patches or scabs if I'm not careful.

There are a few things I don't like about this BB cream, how heavy it feels on the skin and the dry patches, but overall it is one of the better ones I've come across for oily, blemish prone skin. Medium to high coverage, matte finish, durable (even in hot weather) with SPF 30 PA++. It's not too expensive either, Triple The Solution ranges between $20-30 mark, depending on where you're shopping. It is definitely a must try for BB cream enthusiasts.

Let me know your thoughts below!

Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever Primer Review

Etude House's Goodbye Pore Ever 'Pore Primer Essence'

Just thought I would do a quick review on one of my favourite primers this summer. This primer has been fantastic in keeping my oily skin away during the long, hot days.

This is actually the first Etude House product I've used, aside from a nail file but that doesn't count, and I'm pretty impressed. There's definitely a lot more too them than there cutesy packaging, that's just a bonus. What I love about this primer is it doesn't give a greasy, silicon feeling to the skin like other primers I've tried (smashbox photoready, I'm looking at you). It feels nice on the skin, it mattifies nicely without being too drying, and it feels quite smooth and soft. I've heard it's also supposed to help minimize enlarged pores. I personally haven't noticed anything like that and it doesn't bother me. If it keeps the oil away my pores won't get any bigger, right? Without a doubt my BB creams and foundations look a lot smoother with this primer. I personally love using this with my BB creams, because most of them are quite moisturising, this primer makes them last longer through the day. It's also very affordable. I paid $15 for this on Yesstyle (on sale), a hefty difference when I compare it to the western primers I've bought, but I've seen it even cheaper on other Korean skincare sites.

The only con is the tiny bottle, which is the size of an eye primer. It seems to go really fast, but has still lasted the season. I probably won't have much use for it after summer, and I hate it when I have to wait another year (usually past the expiry date) to use a product. So I guess that means less clutter in my makeup drawer, which is something I really need to cut down on this year!

Innisfree Eye Primer Review

Innisfree Eye Primer

One should never underestimate the power a primer can do for your makeup. Well, I know I definitely won't again. I always wondered what the point of using one was. Sure, it makes your shadow last longer, but forking out quite a bit of money on something like that didn't make any sense to me. Everywhere I go eye primers all seem to range from 40-60 dollar mark, Urban Decay, Smashbox, Too Faced. I couldn't make myself part with that money, especially when there were so many other things I wanted for the same price. So when I found Innisfree's eye primer on RoseRose's Store for as little as $4 I decided to give it a go. Here are the before and after shots:

Innisfree Eye Primer before/after

An eye primer really does help enhance the longevity and colour of your eye shadow, and I really wished I had found this out sooner. You watch tutorials on youtube and they always tell you to apply primer, but they rarely tell you why. Oh well, now I know!

Overall, I've been extremely happy with this primer. My shadow lasts all day when I use this, with very little fall out. For someone with oily lids, this has been my saviour. There's nothing particularly showy about the formula either. I know some primers can be a different colour, scent and glittery, but Innisfree have gone with a creamy, light pink shade that blends into the skin easily and doesn't feel heavy. It also smells like peach ice tea (nomnom). For someone on a budget, I highly recommend this!

Innisfree Creamy Tint Lipsticks Review

Innisfree Creamy Tint Lipsticks in Raspberry Red & Cocktail Orange

Recently I've been seeing these lip tints everywhere. Everyone seems to be going mad for them, so I decided to try out a couple for myself to see what all the fuss was about.

These tints really do feel like lip balms, but they give a pop of colour you would expect from a lipstick. They last up to two hours for me before they need a little topping up.  Unfortunately, they do tend to mattify slightly on my lips so I always make sure to apply lip balm beforehand. Otherwise it can become quite flaky. On a slightly better note, depending on your tastes, these tints smell amazing! While some may not like the idea of smelling like a candy factory, I happen to love the sweet, bubblegum scent. Mmmm, candy… Here are the swatches for the two I bought:

I do love the formula, but it's the colour that irks me. These are the brightest lipsticks I have ever tried! They're ridiculously bright, and I'm not sure if I'm game enough to wear these out. Ever. So far I've just been trying them in the full enclosure of my home. Cocktail Orange is a little too much for me to wear often but the Raspberry Red is lovely. And I think, I repeat 'I think', I may be able to pull it off. But it will take some time to convince myself to step over the threshold of my front door with it on.

Etude House's Precious Mineral BB Cream Review

Over the last two years I have tried six BB creams , and this is the best one I've tried so far. The texture of the cream itself is very smooth. It spreads like butter over the skin and is really easy to blend out. Event though I feel it has quite a light coverage it's the most buildable BB cream I've tried. I apply around two to three layers and it doesn't look cakey at all and gives the skin a really lovely dewy glow. The finish definitely reminds me of Bourjois' Healthy Mix foundation. I've found it's also really great for covering acne scars and blemishes, because it doesn't accentuate any dry patches or flakey skin. And because it's so buildable my acne scars and blemishes become barely noticeable.

Precious Mineral BB Cream in no.02

It's very moisturising , even though it doesn't make me feel disgustingly oily, I find I need to powder up on a long day. It was great during the cooler seasons, and I highly recommend this for those with dry skin, but I would steer clear  if you have oily skin. Now that its starting to heat up here my skin is reverting back to being oily, and I've found this BB cream just doesn't look or feel the same anymore. ;__; (super sad face). It also contains SPF 30 PA++ which is very nice, but if you're not very sun crazy like me, you'll probably still apply some form of sunscreen before hand. Finally, the scent. Just from the cute packaging alone I expected something light and florally  but instead was greeted with some off smelling sunscreen or something. It's kind of hard to describe, but thankfully it doesn't linger.

Aside from the scent and my oily skin this is a great BB cream and I'm already considering it as my favourite so far. It's also very affordable, usually pricing at around $15-20 depending on where you shop. I bought mine online from Yes Style on sale for $14 (woo!). It's a shame I have to wait six months to be able to use it again but I guess this gives me time to try out and finish off my other BB creams (there's so many…). Lioele's Beyond the Solution is next in line!

Skin79 VIP Gold BB Cream Review

Here's another BB cream I have been meaning to review for quite a while now, Skin79s VIP Gold Super Beblesh Balm. Compared the previous BB creams I reviewed this one has a very light, practically sheer coverage. It won't cover large blemishes but it definitely helps in evening out and reducing redness. The cream like texture spreads easily and fills in pores leaving skin flawless and dewy. It remains fairly matte for the first hour but as the day goes on it does start to become a bit more 'dewy' unless I touch it up with a bit of powder regularly. It's very incredibly moisturising, and I suspect it will be more useful for me in winter than it is now, but if you're not familiar with the VIP range there is also a Hot Pink version catered for oily skin, while the Gold is for dry types. It contains SPF 25 PA++ which is the lowest I've seen for an Asian BB but reasonable when you compare it to the measly SPF15 you see in western BBs. It also claims to prevent and improve the appearance of existing wrinkles. Well, we'll see about that, but so far I've been impressed with everything else.

The best part is the price though, it's so cheap! I bought mine from an ebay seller on sale for $15, but apparently there are a lot of fakes out there, so if you’re too scared to purchase from Ebay I would recommend either YesStyle or Sasa.

Banila & Co Let Me Dressed BB Cream Review

While BB Creams are kind of a hot topic for me this season, and considering my previous post was a little  on the trolling side (sorry, L'oreal), I thought I would blog about another one of my favourite BB creams.

Firstly, the Let Me Dressed Glam BB from Banila & Co (a kind of cult brand from South Korea) comes in 4 shades: classic beige, pink beige and yellow beige and 2 formulas for dry (moist) and oily skin (matte).

What the Let Me Dressed BB offers:

• Medium to high coverage, great for those like me with acne prone skin

• SPF 37 PA ++

• Oil control
• Wrinkle free, which basically means it covers and improves the appearance of existing wrinkles

• And lastly, whitening , the covering and treatment of uneven skin tone

The texture is quite thick and creamy, and feels very similar to BRTC Jasmine Cream but this one is a thousand times easier to blend, it practically melts across the face. It honestly feels and looks like a foundation (minus the cakeyness).

The coverage is amazing, it hides almost all my blemishes. Some of the larger, more swollen pimples still need to be touched up with a bit of concealer, but that's no biggie; it also lasts for quite some time. After about five hours on a regular day at work I'll touch up with a bit of powder and I'll be set for the rest of the day. But the best thing about this BB cream is that it doesn't break me out.

I haven't worn foundation in weeks, and I'm a little sad because the tube is slowly slimming down with every use and it's not exactly  cheap (or easy to find for that matter). I grudgingly paid $37 AUD for mine from a seller on ebay, but it was worth every penny; it's far from empty at the moment but I think I'll be happy to spend the extra dollars again when the time comes.

Anyone else tried Banila & Co BB creams or any of their products before? What did you think of them? Let me know below!

BRTC Jasmine Water BB Cream Review

I have been on the BB band wagon for quite a while now, and now that summer is on the horizon I've been testing and using them a lot more; but today I thought I would share with you one of my favourite BB creams: BRTC's Jasmine Water BB.

Like all BB creams on the market today, well, the Asian ones that is, after long term use it's guaranteed that you'll see an improvement in your skins overall texture and tone. The Jasmine Water offers improvement in the areas of whitening (or brightening) of the skin (arbutin), the healing of scars and blemishes (zinc oxide, green tea, almond oil and aloe vera), and also the improvement of existing wrinkles (whatever that means).

I will admit, I didn't really like this product the first time I tried it, mainly because of the scent, a hint of jasmine smooshed under a lot of chemicals pretty much sums it up. Also, all the other BB creams I had tried previously had lovely scents, Skin79, Missha, hell, even the freaking snail mucus ones smelt nicer. Thankfully, I've become more accustomed to the smell because honestly, this product is too good to dismiss on scent alone. Plus if your are in the market for a BB cream that offers you a flaw-free, ghostly complexion, then this is the one for you! But seriously, those of you with darker complexions may want to stay away from this one because the colour is quite light; light beige with pink undertones.

I have quite problematic skin and the Jasmine BB cream offers medium to high coverage that actually hides your blemishes and redness. It's also incredibly moisturising and lasts for around 6 to 8 hours before it needs a touch up. This is one of the few BB creams that I can actually wear just on its own. Unfortunately, you wouldn't want to put foundation over it anyway. The cream itself it quite thick and doesn't like to collaborate with anything other than skin. When I applied foundation on top  my skin looked congested and cakey. But this doesn't really bother me to be honest, the cream does a great job of hiding my blemishes and redness by itself (as you can see below).

Before // After

Overall, this is one of my favourite BB creams, mainly because the coverage is a life saver for me. It brightens my skin, reduces redness, hides my acne, and moisturises my skin, and on top of that, it has helped improve my skin in the long run, but give me ten years and I'll get back to you guys on the wrinkle front.