THE GREAT ASIAN BEAUTY HAUL PART 3 (PURE SMILE, ECONECO, NARISUP)

For Part 1, click here. 

For Part 2, click here.

#1 PURE SMILE 

Product 1: Snail Lip Treatment (Chocolate)

I first discovered Pure Smile a few years ago through their chocolate scented and absolutely amazing Snail Hand Cream, the only hand cream I really use. I never thought they had other products in their Snail line until I found their Snail lip treatment which had the exact same packaging design. It was the last piece they had in a sea of lipgloss so I bought it.  

The product is a clear gloss which has the same delicious chocolate scent as the hand cream. It makes the lips look and feel more full as it moisturises. I bring it everywhere I go and use it when I need an instant lip plumper. 

Product 2: Oil Free Paper (Soap Bubbles) 

How could a person see this blotting paper and not take delight in it? It has such an adorable packaging and it brings back so many childhood memories of watching the Little Mermaid. It's not only beautiful on the outside, the inside carries a wonderful pop-up of Ariel and a tiny mirror. These little details really help take blotting paper packaging to the next level. I found it in a little boutique at the Kaohsiung Arena subway stop that houses a ton of other charming pieces. 

Opening this oil blotting pack always makes me feel giddy inside. It’s such a nostalgic piece. 

Even their paper has Ariel and Flounder imprinted on it. Props for details.

#2 ECONECO  

As you may have noticed by now, I am a sucker for pretty packaging. This lipgloss by Econeco has it and I literally stopped on my tracks to admire their darling collection. Their emblem reminds me of Limecrime’s unicorn but with a vintage carnival flare.  

I honestly wished their other products were better in quality because their packaging are so beautiful I wanted to collect them all. But, packaging can only take a product so far. I tested their eyeshadow palettes and blush at the store and it was really chalky and heavy on the glitter. Only the gloss stood out for me so I bought it. 

Unfortunately, I don't really know if the gloss has a name. The description is written in Japanese and the only English words are Made in Taiwan. 

All I can say is that it has a peachy pink colour and it smells like sweet peach gummies. When applied, the product has the smoothest, butteriest feel on the lips, very much like Bebebalm. It also has a subtle natural colour and the tiniest amount of shimmer, which I find is appropriate for everyday wear.

#3 NARISUP

Product: Pore Clear Pack

At Hands Tailung at the Kaohsiung Arena, Taiwan, each section has its top 5 picks displayed on top of the rack to help clueless consumers decide what to get. For me, it has become a hefty guide to what local Taiwanese women prefer. Without any English translations to refer to, I blindly trust the top 5 picks when choosing my products.

I was able to find Narisup’s Pore Clear Pack through the top picks and I have become rather fond of it too. It’s used to get rid of blackheads/whiteheads that are often found on the nose, chin, and area between eyebrows.

Prior to using this pack, I’ve always used Bioré or Too Cool for School's nose peel strips to remove the blackheads/whiteheads on my nose. 

With Narisup, the Pore Clear Pack comes in liquid form. It can be placed in other areas like the chin and you can easily adjust the amount you place based on the size of the problem area unique to you. There is no standard size like in pore strips giving you ample flexibility. It also peels off easily and it removes much of the dirt while making the skin  feel smooth afterwards. My only problem with this pack is that it's not strong enough to peel most of the blackheads off the nose area, as compared to using a pore strip from Bioré. Regardless, I personally think it's a useful product to clean more uncommon areas on the face (chin, area between the brows). I'll leave the nose area to nose peel strips instead. 

And this concludes my rather long Asian beauty haul. I hope this helped you in some way and I do hope you enjoyed it! Until next week! 

END.

THE GREAT ASIAN BEAUTY HAUL PART 2 (HEROINE, 3CE, CHARMING KISS)

Hey guys, 

As promised, here’s part two of my beauty haul!
For part one, click here. 

#1 Heroine Make by Isehan

Product 1: SP Long & Curl Super Waterproof Mascara

I was so happy to find Heroine Make at Sasa in Taiwan as it has become my go-to brand for mascara. I was ready to buy myself a tube of their Kiss Me Make Long & Curl (which I previously reviewed) but saw Cosme's #1 rated, Heroine Make SP Long & Curl Super Waterproof* mascara and bought that instead.  

*For the purpose of this review, I will simplify the names, referring to the SP Long & Curl Super Waterproof mascara as SW and Kiss Me Make Long & Curl mascara as Kiss Me. 

Some of the notable qualities of the SW include

1. Its ability to lengthen the lashes about 3x more. (Better than Kiss Me's) 
2. Very long-lasting.
3. I tested its waterproof capabilities in the shower and it stays on. 
4. It doesn't smudge. 

Other things I noticed...

1. You’ll need an oil based makeup remover to get it off. 
2. It tends to clump the lashes together after 2 applications. 
3. You have to be careful when applying if you want it to look more natural. 
4. It doesn't seem to add much volume to the lashes. I found the length it created wasn't proportional to the added volume/thickness making my lashes look 'thin' but long. I had to use a spooly to make it look more natural. 

Comparing the SW to Kiss Me, both seem identical in regards to their function. They're both waterproof, lengthening, and long lasting. The difference lies on how much more length is added to the lashes and just how waterproof is waterproof. I found the SW to be better at both categories but, despite everything, I find myself preferring Heroine's Kiss Me mascara. Kiss Me gives a more refined and natural look to the lashes in my experience. Not saying that SW couldn't have the same result, it just takes more  time and effort to do so.

I would recommend the SW for those looking for a lengthening mascara. If you're looking for something less dramatic that adds more volume and length at the same time, I would recommend the Kiss Me mascara. 

Product 2: Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner

I bought the Make Smooth Liquid eyeliner expecting the same quality I would from Heroine's mascaras but I was left rather disappointed. While having a pleasant opacity in terms of the blackness of the ink and its rather smooth application on the lid, this eyeliner has trouble staying on, period. I tried topping it off with eyeshadow using a shadow brush but even that didn't keep the ink from coming off. I did manage to find a solution with the help of q-tips. Apparently, packing eyeshadow on with a cotton bud really helped it last all day. I think Heroine could make some improvements to this product. Just make it more lasting and waterproof then I'll buy it again. 

#2 3 Concept Eyes (3CE)

I heard so much about 3CE from friends so I didn’t hesitate to buy some of their products. I chose three from the limited pile: the glam cream shadow in Baby Doll, cream blush in New Pink, and their wonderful lip lacquer in Bon Bon.  

Product 1: Cream Blush (New Pink)

I've been using the 3CE cream blush for everyday wear as it gives the most natural flush. The consistency is creamy and blends easily on the skin. If you don't blend it out, the pink cream is opaque enough to use for avant garde looks. 

Product 2: Glam Cream Shadow (Baby Doll)

The 3CE Baby Doll cream shadow is a peach colour with subtle shimmer particles. Its cream formulation is smooth and blends easily just like the cream blush. Its also a gorgeous colour to use on its own for lazy days or as an eye primer. I usually use it under a smokey eye to make my shadows last longer. I also tried it as a cheek highlighter and it worked really well.

Product 3: Lip Lacquer (Bon Bon)

Bon Bon is a peach coloured lip lacquer. It has a delightful buttery feel when applied and it finishes matte but not drying at all like Limecrime Velvetines. The formulation unfortunately, emphasises the look of cracked lips. If you have this lip lacquer, I suggest scrubbing your lips prior to application or applying some balm. You can also choose to top it off with gloss for a pretty shine. 

Oddly enough, I noticed that the colour registers pink on camera and photos but in person, it's peach. 

I used all the makeup products in this haul (except the falsies) to create this simple natural look.

#3 Charming Kiss produced by Chiaki Ito (Koji) 

I’ve been looking for falsies like this for the longest time! It’s not a very common find in Manila but in Taiwan I found similar looking lashes in most of the cosmetic stores. It’s pricier than a box of lashes you can find at Divisoria but the hairs look very natural and it’s obviously better in quality. 

The length is only half of a regular false lash so it's meant to be placed on the outer lash area for a full yet natural effect. I used a pair on a client recently and the result was stunning. It goes on easy and it blends in with the natural lashes. I'll definitely buy more of this in the future. 

That concludes Part 2 of my beauty haul. Stay tuned for Part 3 next week! :) 

THE GREAT ASIAN BEAUTY HAUL PART 1 (CLIO, AVANCÉ, MEDIA)

In recent years, I’ve noticed myself slowly shifting my attention away from Western beauty care to its Eastern counterpart. I’ve decided, now more than ever, to explore the Asian makeup arena as I’ve encountered some really good contenders from brands like Heroine and Clio. Lucky for me, I get to travel back and forth from Taiwan which has become my gateway to the Asian beauty industry. 

The Taiwanese, much like Japanese and Koreans, are conscious about their appearance which is why you'll be able to find several cosmetic stores all over the place. Most popular are Sasa, Cosmed, and Watsons for their affordable beauty supply. Other luxury brands can also be found occupying the first level of malls around the country. The moment you walk in is an invitation to purchase. 

Like a moth drawn to a flame, I couldn't help but splurge on the massive abundance. Carefully selecting a handful from brands I've never tried before and some which have become recent favourites. And without further ado, here's the first part of my great asian beauty haul! 

#1 Clio

Clio carries one of the best eyeliners I’ve tried so far. Their Gelpresso line is just amazing quality with a wide colour selection. It’s the only eyeliner I’ve tried that has the best staying power as it doesn’t budge once it sets on the skin. A tita of mine had given me a bunch of Gelpresso eyeliners from South Korea and I just couldn’t get enough. So, when I saw the brand in Cosmed I decided to grab a couple more that I haven’t tried before. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen a matte Gelpresso eyeliner from their darker colour selection. They do, however, carry these amazing pastel liners that are matte and equally beautiful. I got two, Mintade and Keep Calm, which I thought would work well to make my eyes look bigger and brighter when lined on the waterline. 

Gelpresso Keep Calm 

Gelpresso Mintade

True to the Gelpresso quality, both eyeliners have amazing colour payoff, it doesn't budge once set, and it's also waterproof. I tested it on my hand and it does not rub off unless you use makeup remover. Definitely a good purchase.  

Now, because I was so impressed with Clio's Gelpresso eyeliners, I decided to try their waterproof pen liners which come in matte black (Kill Black) and brown (Kill Brown). Being pen liners, the Kill Black and Kill Brown are wet when applied. I must point out that the ink is wetter than I expected so I had to wait a little longer for it to set. Once it sets, the liner stays on all day and again, it will not budge. The colour is also build-able but I suggest waiting for the first layer to dry before applying a second layer to create the best opacity. 

Kill Black

Kill Brown

Note: Clio is available at SM Aura!!! 

#2 AVANCÉ (Japanese Brand)  

Avancé is one of the brands I haven't tried before. I picked it out from a wall filled with eyebrow products. I was originally going to get myself another K-palette brow pen but decided I could get it in Manila anyway. Out of the lot, Avancé's Jolie et Jolie et dual brow pen looked closest to what I was looking for. First in colour and second in function. Just like K-palette's dual brow pen, it has a pencil on one end and a powder on the other. The powder was what helped me make the switch from K-Palette as it doesn't contain glitter particles. 

I bought two colours which I felt would be most used for my clients, Light Brown and Natural Brown. I tried Natural Brown on myself and I love how it has more colour payoff than K-Palette's brow pens. Although, I am still an avid fan of K-Palette because the colour is closer to my natural hair. 

Natural Brown

#3 MEDIA (Kanebo, Japanese Brand) 

Last but not least, we have Media which is a brand under Japanese cosmetics producer, Kanebo. Media is another first for me and I found it while I was looking for a nude lipstick for my tita. I saw their wide colour selection on display so I decided to try each one on my hand and boy was I impressed! It was just the most beautiful selection and I wanted to buy it all but of course, self control. I bought two nudes, one pink (PK-01) and one beige (BE-02), just for everyday wear.

PK-01

One notable attribute about these lipsticks is how comfortable it feels on the lips. The gloss is watery, light, and buttery. At the same time it leaves the most natural looking colour. I'll definitely be looking for this brand again when I get back.  

And that concludes part one of my great asian beauty haul! Stay tuned for part deux next week! <3