Kbeauty

Here are some of my recent buys from Korea. Still have alot but will slowly update and review !

I will try to update here often and sorry if i failed to even though i promised to ! Very busy with work lately..claims and appointments etc. And everytime when i login here and type afew sentences or upload pics , i have to log out again to attend to work. I am on MC so still got time to update here.

Here are some make up and skin care reviews on items i just got them in Oct and have been using !

It is #Kbeauty time !

Skinfood Salmon Darkcircle Concealer

Wah this is damn good man ! It was recommended by a Korean youtube makeup blogger which i followed. She recommended this and i must say this is really good ! Not expensive. About KRW 8000 and it is a huge tub for a concealer. I have been using this for 1 month plus already and i think it will last me at least 2 years plus lah before i use all up.

The coverage is great and it is also moisturizing so it is not cakey at all. This is a RECOMMENDED concealer if you want to cover your dark eye circles. It covers up my dark circles very well. Plus it is so affordable..for KRW8000 (SGD9) , you can use this for at least 2 years. Best part is …it is NOT CAKEY even after application on top of BB Cushion !

If you drop by Skinfood or going to Korea and looking for concealer , this is one that you must get. If im not wrong there is a skinfood in Tampines mall or Tampines One. Im always confused with these 2 malls. But it is at one of those. The mall with uniqulo and daiso one.

Etude house lip scrub KRW 4200

I got it at 10% off because i am a Aritaum VIP member. I love this scrub ! Smell like apple and really scrub away the layer of dead skin on my lips. I always wondered how come my lips still look flakey or dry even after applying moisturizing lipsticks or tints. My makeup artist at my Korean wedding in Busan told me that it is because there is a layer of dead skin and everytime i apply my lipstick , there will be bit of dead skin cells being “transferred” onto the lipsticks. So after lipstick application , recommended that i clean it with tissue. Plus i am a fan of velvety and matt lipsticks these days which means i have to keep my lips in good condition. So i got this scrub to get rid of any dead skincells on my lips. It really makes lipstick applications more clean and smooth. And my lips don’t look too chappy even after applying semi-matt or matt lipsticks.

Photo Hairliner from Etude House KRW8,900

WAH ! I really need this leh! I have been tying my hair into pony tail so often and almost everyday esp since i always do housework and need to get my hair away…and also during my work appointments , i will always tie my hair up so it is not distracting whenever i need to present ideas on the paper. So…….why do i need this ???
Because i have been tying up my hair too tight too often , i have slight receding hairline at the sides ! Got lobang leh…omggg.

And also during my 2016 Korean wedding in Busan , the make up artist used this to draw a “heartshape” hairline when she did my hair into a bun. That is also because of my slight receding hairline 😦

It is a crayon on one end and a sponge for you to smudge it. I will share how to use it in the next few posts. Cos i use this before i go to work and always in a rush. So no time to take pictures properly to show you girls how to use it.

You can even create “illusional” baby hair with this. LOL.

Iope Pro-Peeling Soft Gel KRW 14,900

If you are looking for a peeling scrub for face , this is one soft gel peeling i recommend you to get !

It is very good and not very drying !
I realized my skin looks very clean and clear after that . Also slightly fairer !!!!!

I really love this ! My friends too love it ! Face feels and looks clean and clear after that ! I use it once a week only.

Not recommended to use daily. Once or twice a week can already.

Derma skincare is kind of a IN thing right now. You can walk into Olive Young and find many brands from Korean aesthetics company or dermatologists. I have been using some Korean derma brands and will slowly review them because i have not opened some to use yet !

Dermalift Facial Foam

I heard that the facial masks for this brand was very good ! But i didn’t buy because it is very expensive ! 😦 1 mask for KRW 3900 if there is no discount 😦 This brand was developed by LG. I realized i have been using brands by LG these days like SUM37 and Dermalift. Even brands like The Face Shop is under LG too.

You can buy it from Olive Young.

Here is the review…

If you have dry skin and prefer a non-drying facial foam that cleanses your face thoroughly , this is one good cleanser !
The first impression of this cleanser was that it felt and smelt like those cleansers that aestheticians use in clinics. It is not drying and not very foamy. Gives you a clean and non drying skin after shower.

Very happy because it bought it during an event in Olive Young. When Koreans say “event” , it does not mean like an event with stage or some big promotions. But they are referring to discounts or 1+1 (buy 1 get 1 free) etc.

Got this set at KRW 14,900. The actual price for this facial foam was KRW20,000

SUM:37 Waterfull Radiant Hydrating Glow Cream

I blogged about buying this set from airport before so here is the review since i have started using and opened it.

I find this moisturizer so-so only though i like the toner and emulsion which are moisturizing.

Why i find it so-so only was because it is not that moisturizing enough. Perhaps because it is the glow cream. It has another water-full version which maybe more moisturizing. Because im always in air-conditioned room , so i need a moisturizing one.

A.H.C GEN:5 Wrinkle Care Ampoule

KRW 19,000 (after discount) from Lotte Dept Store Online. You can find this brand AHC in Olive Young (only selected range) or Lotte Duty Free. There is one at Lotte Dept Store (Seomyeon Main Branch Level 7) . You can get tax refund there. There is also one at Lotte World Tower in Seoul. This is an aesthetic brand which some aesthetic clinics in SG uses. I noted it when i went for facials..they use A.H.C toners and serums. You can even buy it from Gmarket.

I like this ampoule so much ! Not only is it very worth it but i can my skin improved whenever i used this with a sheet mask. I will apply this first before putting on the sheet mask. This is one of my few anti-aging products. I think i need to start already because i have been working till late and i scared i look older faster 😦 If you have any Korean friends in Korea, you can even ask them to get this brand’s products for you through Home Shopping apps like Lotte Homeshopping. They sell the serums , eye creams and even BB cushions in bulk and it is really cheap ! My Mother in law bought for me the eye cream and i really love it ! It really moisturizes my skin and it is a highly raved cream which i will review in the next few posts ! She bought in bulk (like 10 tubes) via home shopping but i paiseh so i took only 2 tubes back.

Ok back to this ampoule ! It comes in 3 types : Hydration , Anti-Wrinkle and Whitening. I will get the hydration one next round. This bottle is really huge and very heavy though it is made of plastic. I think can use for about 1yr even though i use it daily. Usually my ampoules and serums lasted me 2 months max. If not that my luggage was overweight , i would have bought the hydration (blue bottle) one.

DPC Pink Aura Cushion KRW59,000

I got it via Lotte Duty Free. It is the travel special edition. I bought through the app which i blogged below in this post.

http://www.dpc.co.kr/

It comes with 2 mains + 2 refills ! So total is 4 !

This is a new cushion highly recommended by my sis-in-law. Haha i got to her for the latest products and what is good. She has good skin too ! This product is kind of the rave now on home shopping and among the ladies. Even my Korean teacher also bought this and using it now. It gives a healthy glow to the skin and coverage is good. It is also moisturizing. I really have no complains for this.

It comes with a slight pink tone mixed with BB cushion which gives you the healthy glow and colour correction.

Some cushions with pink tones makes your skin looks abit grey-ish but this one does not. I really love this ! Now i have 3 favourite cushions and i am so lost which one to use lol so i alternate them. The ones im using are from Hera UV Mist Moisture, Sum37 Waterfull cushion and DPC Pink Aura cushion. Will take another picture of the actual thing (inside) in the next review. LOL because i have used mine for almost 2 months and it looks very cui already..very paiseh to take picture and show here.

So alot of people asked me how did i managed to bring so many things back even for my friends , clients and myself and yet never need to pay luggage overweight charge ???

I used the LOTTE DUTY FREE app to order and collect it at the airport on departure date.
It is VERY easy and convenient.

Download the app and open an account

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lotte-duty-free-global-ver/id492083651?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lotte.lottedutyfree

2. Cart out the things you want to buy (you can search by brands)

3. Make payment and enter your passport details and departure dates etc

4. On your departure day , after clearing the immigration , head to the collection counters and get a queue number to collect your bags of items.

I suggest that you check in early. Because that time , i am 40 mins away from departure time and there are 40 pax infront of me in the queue. But as you know Koreans are very efficient and fast…so i waited for less than 15 mins to collect my stuff. You have to present your boarding pass and passport for verification before you collect. So it is important that you update and indicate the correct departure time when you place your order. So that your items can reach the airport on time few hours before your departure for your collection. Some products can be purchased on the same day or 3 hours before departure and collection. But most you need to buy the day before. Like some items i want are only available instock in Seoul but i depart from Busan Gimhae Airport , so i need to cart out at least a day before. You can buy liquid or gel items..they will pack in those safety taped duty free plastic carriers.

I usually buy BB Cushions or moisturisers or anything i want to buy more than 2 sets from Lotte Duty Free. Usually you can find those travel exclusive sets from duty free and they are cheaper. 1 HERA BB Cushion costs KRW 55,000 but you can buy the travel sets (2 sets = 2 mains + 2 refills) for KRW 70,000. Also they are tax free. Save your luggage space and money also.

Here is an alternative…

And if you cannot find what you want in Olive young or anywhere, you can download the gmarket app and order from Lotte, Hyundai, Olive Young or Shinsegae and input your accomodation address. Sometimes they have events and you can get alot of free gifts and samples. Got for a friend her black cushion set which comes with alot of freebies at KRW 49,000 from Hyundai. That time they were having sale. For example , just type HERA under search bar in Gmarket and somewhere in the middle of your mobile screen , you can see the Hyundai Mall , Lotte.com , Shinsaegae etc buttons. So you can click on those to filter out. I will suggest that you compare the prices first. Because sometimes certain malls have discounts but some don’t. They ship out pretty fast , within 24 hours after you have paid and fastest will arrive the next day depending on what time did you order the day before. If you cart out in the morning , it should reach you by next day but just incase there is any delay , better to give 2 days allowance. Their refund system is very fast…if item is out of stock , they will cancel your order and refund immediately. These department stores do not ship overseas in Gmarket. So you can only order when you are in Korea.

A friend of mine find this useful after i taught her to use Gmarket and Lotte Duty Free App. She went to Korea with her family and her parents are more into sight seeing than shopping so most of the time she was out in the nature sight seeing and visiting historical places. There is no time or not much time to shop. So she used the Duty Free App to buy her Hera skin care (because they are very heavy..their bottles are very glass-like and heavy) and Gmarket to do her other beauty care shopping. Reason why i suggest to use Gmarket instead of Lotte, Hyundai, Olive Young and Shinsegae direct website is because it is super mafan to create an account. You need a local number and the number must match its registered address. Which means you cannot enter another address which does not match the local number’s record. It is really so troublesome to create an account even for some of their local online shop clothings site.

There are some Korean local online clothing stores i want to recommend !

To be continued……

Review : My Favourite BB Cushions

Oct31

#Kbeauty Time !

Back from Korea for 2 weeks already but i have yet to sort out my cosmetics and skincare. So i decided to spend my Sat morning to pack and sort them.

I used to hoard and buy alot of Korean cosmetics when i first got to know and try them. I don’t know but maybe that time i am curious and want to try as many and also i seldom travel to Korea so i thought i should buy more at once and stock up since they are much cheaper there ( 30-50% cheaper to buy in Korea than SG ). But since now i go there twice a year , i don’t hoard or stock up that much already. They update their product range every season and there are always new products and new colours. I used to stock up alot of one thing and when there are new colours or new products launched, i regretted getting many of one kind because i need to use finish before i change. If not very waste money leh.

But there is one thing that i will really stock up no matter what …..guess what ?
BB Cushions !

I use them everyday and i touch up maybe once or twice a day especially after meals. So one refill can last me only 1 to 1.5 months. And there are different kinds of cushions for different days and depends on my skin condition on that day.

I just sorted them in a tiny box and also according to the expiry. All cushions in this box were bought this year and expires till end of 2019. You can find the expiry and manufacturing date at the back of the cushion.

The different brands im using now :

From left to right..

Age 20’s Essence Cover Pack 3 X ( no 21)

Hera UV Mist Cushion Ultra Moisture ( no 21 )

Pony Effect Everlasting Cushion (Ivory)

Laneige Whitening BB Cushion (No 13)

Iope Moisture Cushion (No 21)

Leaders Insolution Cushion (No 21)

Pony Effect Everlasting Cushion in Ivory

Usually i use this on days when im wearing bright red lipsticks. Because this cushion makes my skin looks really fair which compliments with my red lipsticks. Also it will make your skin looks alittle “oily”.

Reviewed here before : https://peonykiss.com/tag/pony-effect/

Age 20’s Essence Cover Pact 3X in No 21.

This is a new cushion my MIL bought for me. It is a 3 in 1 kind of cushion which include sunscreen , skincare (essences) and bb cream. I was told that this is the IN thing among youngsters now so my MIL ordered a box of cushions + refills + serums + liptints for me. I have not done a review yet and shall do one for this one.

The one below is a new one. The one im currently using and kept in my bag looks already cui because i have been using it for 2 weeks already. I really like it ! It is really moisturising. I can feel the moisturising essence on my skin when i pat it on my cheeks. My skin doesn’t feel dry nor does this cushion cakes. Lasting power is good because if i were to top up , i will look every fairer. Unlike a cushion , it is a abit pact like.

Price : Not sure how much it costs since it was my MIL who bought for me.

Coverage : 8/10

Dewiness : 8/10

Moisturizing effect : 9/10

Lasting : 8/10

This is suitable for daily use for all skin types.

This is the pact which im using now. There is a dent on the left side was because i thought it was “spongy” so i pressed very hard with my fingers and it kinda “cracked”. The red and white ones are essences from what i know. It is not powdery not creamy. It is like a balm. Feels good and smells good also. I have been using this for 2 weeks already ! I used it in Korea to when the weather was abit cold and windy. My skin still felt moisturised and the coverage on my skin doesn’t crack from dryness either.

Really nice ! you should get one to try !

Hera UV Mist Cushion Ultra Moisture in No 21

One of my Holy Grail . This cushion is super moisturising and suits when you travel to cold country. I use this one days when i have really dry skin. But i don’t really use this one very hot days because it will make my face look very “glossy” when i perspire.
I had done the reviews for this couple of times already.

One word review this time : BUY!

Reviewed here before : https://peonykiss.com/2014/12/04/10588/

Laneige Whitening BB Cushion in No 13.

I have not done a review for this too.

To be honest , i am a little disappointed with this. I bought it because of the cute cover and was curious about it since i saw the advert everywhere. It is very drying and though i bought it a shade lighter ( no 13) than my usual shade which was no 21 , it doesn’t really ‘whiten”. I will use this probably when days are very hot because it is quite matte actually. It oxidizes pretty fast also.

Price : KRW 26,000 after 20% discount off ARITAUM

Coverage : 7/10

Dewiness : 5/10

Moisturizing effect : 5/10

Lasting : 6/10

Leaders Insolution BB Cushion No 21.

Will review about this next week. Have yet to open ! Need to use at least 2 to 3 times before reviewing. Will compare with Hera’s Ultra Moisture cushion in next review.

Iope Moisture Cushion in No 21.

Will review about this next week. Have yet to open ! Need to use at least 2 to 3 times before reviewing. Will compare with Hera’s Ultra Moisture cushion in next review.

To be honest , i am tempted to try out the Semi-permanent make up BB cover procedure at Lee Na Young Aesthetics Clinic which is a new Korean aesthetics clinic in SG but it is quite pricey. Heard the aestheticians and director/doctor is a Korean lady and quite pretty. Abit tempted to go for it because seems interesting and convenient that i do not need to put on any bb cushion after going through this treatment. The bb cushion is temporarily inked to your skin just like eye brow embroidery. But the pricing hor…hmmm….read that the results will last about 4-6 months.

It is 12 am now. Need to go for a good sleep and prepare for tomorrow’s challenge !
Review more again ! Ahhh im still waiting for the photos taken on my actual wedding day in Busan.

The studio said need 1 month ….. ok lah..if they do swee swee for me then 1 month of wait is worth it.

Before i say good night…

Something to let you dream of tonight.

Tonkatsu + Kimbap rice + Fried Dumplings for KRW 7000 only !

At this in Haeundae Busan. Cannot remember where already. It was a random Ahjumma restaurant selling Kimbaps , Ramyeons and Tonkatsu…was tempted by the picture menu on the wall and we walked in to order this.

So shiok lor !

Busan : Shop Eat Sleep

Apr13

Another update on my trip to my boyfriend’s hometown in Busan , South Korea.

Every morning , i woke up to the view of Seomyeon shopping and medical street.

The other side is the view of mountains. The air was so fresh and the breeze was abit chilly though cos it was end of Winter and it was really cold. Freezing at 8 degrees and sleeping on heated bed every night. As you can see the trees were bare from the winter chill.

So in the previous post , i blogged about shopping at Seomyeon shopping and medical street.

How to get there ?
Take the MRT and stop at Seomyeon station and when you come out from the gantry , you will be greeted with lotsa fashion shops and beauty shops like Innisfree , VDL , Clio Professional , It’s skin , Etude house , The face shop , Nature republic , Espoir , Holika Holika , Aritaum etc etc. Whatever brands you can think of that are Korean. The salesgirls in the clothing shops are not very friendly to foreigners. So it will be good if you can speak abit of Korean. And if you can speak and understand Korean , they will also be very aggressive in pushing their sales. Oppa and i spoke in English abit and the salesgirl wasn’t that friendly and i was not allowed to try the top. When we switched to speaking in Korean , the attitude changed. Suddenly become friendly.

You will see staircases at the sides , go up and and it is the street level filled with more beauty and fashion shops. The shops at street level are bigger but scattered everywhere. So it will be troublesome for you to compare prices, colours , sizes or whatever you need to compare and hesitate about. If you shop underground , the beauty shops are side by side or just opposite each other. So it is easy to move around the different brands and get everything one shot. There are more fashion shops underground than at street level.

We went on a trip to Oppa’s University with his mother. Yup , we were greeted with this beautiful beach/view which is just right in front of his faculty block. I was told this is the place where campus couples usually go on quiet dates and students have picnic here in summer.

Imagine sitting here and reading your school notes. Weather was pretty good that afternoon before it suddenly turned soooo cold at night. Checked the weather forecast and it was supposed to be cooling (18-23 degrees celsius ) instead of cold and windy. So I brought bandage and skater skirts , dresses , stockings and high waisted pants to be paired with crop knit tops but i ended up have to buy a new top and new pair of jeans because it was too cold. To be in fashion or keep myself warm ? I prefer to be more practical and that was to keep myself warm. So i borrowed the puffer coat from Oppa’s mother. I only brought a trench coat , denim crop jacket and a biker rider jacket.

This is a great place for photoshoot. Found lotsa secret places for photoshoot and if only it was summer , i could have done my shoots here.

I got my top from TOP 10 and jeans from one of the shops at Seomyeon underground shopping strip for only KRW 29,000. There are alot shops selling ripped jeans in Seomyeon. I wanted to get more but i don’t wear jeans in SG and it will be waste of money to buy all the colours i want to even though they are so pretty and chic ! So , i only got one pair. Im wearing size M . Their sizing are reallly small. I even wear size 28 for some Korean jeans.

The view was beautiful and noon sun was great before the weather turns cold late afternoon.

After visiting his University , Oppa’s mother drove us to Gamcheon Cultural Village.

It is like Italy’s Cinque Terre where you see colourful houses on the mountains and cliffs overlooking the sea.

Gamcheon Cultural Village is just like Korea’s own version of Cinque Terre.

Over here , you can get to enjoy cool and breezy view. And also learn more about Korean’s way of living back in the 1960s and when it is still not a developed country.

There are alot of phototaking points where you can go up to the roof tops to take picture and enjoy the view. If you are hungry , you can grab abite at the cafes or road side stalls selling hotdogs , spicy rice cakes and grab a cup of coffee if you feel cold.

Roof top on one of the cafes where you can write love notes and pin it on the railings.

Everyone was queuing up to take picture with this statue. I was on of those who queued for it too lol.

It ain’t scary as you think it is to sit here and take a picture with this little guy !

Oppa’s mother was feeling abit tired and cold after the long drive and walk . So we stopped by one of the cafes to have a coffee. There are alot of French themed cafes here. I realized that alot of Korean cafes are very French themed. Eg. the interior designs and music they played in the cafes.

You can buy sovenirs in the cafes but i think they are too expensive and over priced.

After Gamcheon Cultural Village , we went to Nampo-dong shopping street.

How to get there ?

Nampodong Station (Busan Subway Line 1) .

You can put Gamcheon Cultural Village , Nampo-dong shopping street and famous Jalgachi fish market all in one day. Because Gamcheon Cultural Village is just 10 minutes drive away from Nampo-dong and Jalgachi fish market is just next to Nampo-doing shopping street. So you can have lunch at Gamcheon Cultural Village or light snacks there , shop at Nampo-dong and then dinner at Jalgachi fish market. Also a super huge Lotte Departmental Store is located at Nampo-dong. You can do all of them in a day.

Oppa wanted eat Ho-ddok ( which is a kind of pastry ). So we queued for the famous one. There is a street in Nampo-dong which was lined up with alot of Tarot cards reading stalls and street food stalls. You know those you see in K-dramas. Where they had street food in a plastic sheet covered stalls.

Lotte Department Store Gwangbok is just next to Nampo-dong shopping street. Nearest MRT is Nampodong station , Exit 10.

The world’s largest indoor musical water fountain and the rooftop park, which is the largest in Korea and it offers a great view of the entire city of Busan.

Fyi , Lotte and Shinsaegae departmental stores close at 8pm. So you need to plan your shopping. Street shops don’t close that early and usually before 11 pm.

Street food galore. Street food can fill your tummies and there is no need to go to restaurants or cafes. So many things to eat and so many varieties of local food at Nampo-dong street. You can also visit Busan Tower located at Nampo-dong.

After the street food street is the shopping stretch.

Somewhere along this shopping belt in Gwangbok-dong , you can see an escalator and it leads you to Busan Tower. I have been there 2 years ago so i didn’t go this time. It is the Busan’s version of Seoul Tower. Kinda similar.

How to get to Gwang-bok dong ?

Take MRT to Nampodong station , Exit 1.

So in fact , you can drop off at Nampo-dong station and shop at Lotte , Gwangbok-dong and Nampo-dong shopping stretch. These 3 places are connected. So connected that you don’t know if you are at Nampo-dong or Gwangbok-dong lol.

And after that you can walk to Jalgachi market from Nampo-dong for dinner and go back to your hotel via Jalgachi station.

Difference between Nampo-dong/Gwangbok-dong and Seomyeon shopping stretch is that in Nampo-dong/Gwangbok-dong you can find more bigger brand names like MLB , New balance , Adidas boutiques etc and the shops are bigger whereas in Seomyeon , you can find more local designers and smaller fashion shops. Of cos , the ones in Seomyeon are cheaper than Nampo-dong/Gwangbok-dong. But for beauty brands , all outlets sell same things lah.

We walked further in to Gwangbok-dong.

We ordered Woo-Jing-Or-Tuee Kim ( Squid tempura ) , Korean pancake and Spicy Rice Cake ( Ddok-bokk-i )

Sooo nice !

Korean pancake with spring onion.

Shop and eat . Shop and eat. Because the street food carts were all lined up infront of the fashion shops.
It turned windy and cold so suddenly (8 degrees and im feeling so cold in my outfit ) ,. so the only comfort was to keep eating and drinking the free flow of Oh-Muk (fish cake) soup to keep my body warm. Busan is famous for their Oh-Muk ( Fish cake ) . You should buy them home or eat at the road side stall.

We were standing at the stall eating the street food for dinner and i don’t wanna leave because i felt so warm eating and drinking the hot soup.

Street food are very cheap. We ate so much and spent less than KRW 10,000

Jalgachi Fish Market at night.

So cold lor…i cannot take the cold and just want to go to the nearest Lotteria for a cup of hot coffee.

So we just rushed through a small stretch of Jalgachi fish market , walked back to Nampodong for final dose of Oh-Muk Soup before we head back to our home in Seomyeon via Nampodong station.

I bought alot of beauty products and make up when i shopped at Seomyeon which is just opposite our house. Last post , i blogged about the A.H.C (Korean professional skincare line) which was widely used in aesthetic clinics.
This post , gonna blog about a new serum i bought from Iope and a Leaders Vitamin C serum Oppa’s mother bought for me.

I heard about this brand called Leaders before but i don’t have the chance to try it because it is sooo hard to find. You can buy their masks in SG but not their serums , creams or cleansers etc.

This brand was created by dermatologists from Seoul University.

I tried this serum and i love it . Easily absorbed and after applying the serum , i can apply my emulsion , moisturiser and creams without worrying that it will make my skin oily. It comes with capsule beads which contains high concentration of Vit C. I have been using this for a week already ! I saw that there is a slight improvement in my skin tone. With this Vitamin C serum and other products im using , i think it makes my skin tone looks better and brighter. This is not easily available online and Oppa’s mother bought from the HOME SHOPPING TV program. Lol. That is her favourite TV channel. I tried to find it in Gmarket but it is not available.

Iope Moistgen Serum Skin Hydration.

I tried the samples before i bought this full size bottle. Some times you must be thick skin abit and ask for samples before you buy the full size bottles. I always ask for samples to try first so that im sure the product suits my skin condition before i spend money and buy. If im not wrong it is about KRW 49,900. Lol. I threw away the boxes and can’t remember the price.

What i like about this is that it is not oily and easily absorbed. Im currently using this and Hera’s Waterin Serum. I switched Hera’s Waterin Serum to night because the texture is more sticky than Iope’s. I find it easier to apply make up if i used the Iope one. Hera’s Waterin Serum is good and really hydrating too.

I had my Eyelashes done at Seomyeon eyelash extension studio.

I walked around Seomyeon and all the eyelash extension shops there are having promotion of KRW 30,000 which is approx SGD 35 only. I did it 3 weeks ago and the eyelashes are still very dense till today and i am happy with the results. Usually the ones i did in SG all dropped off within 2 weeks. But the one i did in Korea are still going on strong and dense even at the 3rd week. I took pictures with my HP but i have problem transferring them to the lap top to post it here. Once i have resolved this problem , i will post a picture for you all to see.

The shop i went to was called Magic Face. They do not have any website. I just chanced upon it and read from naver blogs and reviews from other Koreans. You can go to any beauty shops in Seomyeon to ask for the price and usually outside the shop , they will hang a banner or poster if there are any promotions. Seriously you should get it done in Korea instead if you are there for holiday because it is so cheap ! I had eyelash permed and extensions done for total of KRW 50,000 ! I checked with my Korean girlfriends. For eyelash extensions , usually it is only KRW 30,000 even in places like Seoul . It should not be more than KRW 50,000.

Oct23

There are many people i know heading to Korea to see the beautiful and colourful autumn maple leaves.

Well , decided to blog about a list of things you should buy if you are going to Korea.

Below was a picture of me and my other 3 girlfriends’ luggages when we went to Korea for the first time back in 2012.

We went with one and came back SG with additional luggages , boxes and more and more hand carry bags.

So how did we went with only 1 but came back with erm… so many ? Well , we spent more than sgd800 per pax at Laneige in Myeondong and they gave us a free luggage each ( The ones with polka dogs , mine is the pink one in the picture ). That was for my 1.5 years of supply of facial care and it came with generous supply of samples which in fact tempted me to get more of their newly launch products. Only you can buy 3 items in Korea and get alot of samples. Hera was more generous when i bought my first set of facial care. They gave me like 4 sheets of the white program masks and REALLY ALOT of samples. Not that i am a cheapo for the samples but these samples are convenient for my travels and it actually tempted me to get the full bottle of product instead and now i am a big fan. My friend’s sister used to send me new samples that last me 1 month and i love the results and ended up buying the full bottles and stock up on a year’s supply.

I don’t like how some counter ladies in SG were abit stingy with it when you ask for few more sachets and they look at you like as if you are some cheapo who want freebies. Maybe they have their reasons for doing so because there are really cheapos doing that but not all are so cheapo okay. There are genuine buyers like me.

It doesn’t make sense you see , your products claimed that with continuous use for 14 days , you will achieve radiant skin. But how can you expect your customers to see the results by giving one pathetic sachet ? Tell me how can you convince your customers the product is good with just one sad sachet and expect people to spend money on the full bottle ? To be reasonable , you should give samples that last at least for 3 days to be able to convince consumers how good your product is.

Ok back to the list of things you should buy in Korea !

1) Korean beauty make up

Nature Republic, The Face Shop, Etude House, Innisfree, Tony Moly, Holika Holika and Missha.

Reason why you should buy the make up products is because they are cheap and good. Korean ladies are very good with “natural make up look” so most of their products are not very pigment heavy. The colours are light and refreshing. They like to play around with lip colours so you can see a range of colours for the lipsticks.

Because they are cheap , you can buy many colours and have different looks. I usually shop off the city area because there are some outlets with 1+1 deal meaning buy 1 get 1 free ( usually for masks and lipsticks ) and some have up to 50% discount for make up products. I got my masks , make up and some accessories from the boutiques off city centre and i get to enjoy 30-50% discount or 1+1 deal. But this depends on your luck because sometimes they don’t have such promotions. Usually there are such deals at theend of each season . But the thing is that you don’t get to enjoy tax refund. But i think i saved more with those deals than the tax refund if im getting hell lot of them.

Can’t decide to get a lipstick in Pink , Coral or Red ?
Just get all 3. They will probably cost less than sgd20 for 3. If there is any 1+1 or discounts , you save more.

2) Amore Pacific Brands.

Beauty is important in Korea and girls there do take extra time and care to maintain their looks and skin.

Brands such as IOPE , Laneige , Sulwhasoo and Hera are under Amore Pacfiic. They do have a house brand too.

You can buy Laneige , Sulwhasoo and Hera at any Lotte Department store or Shinsaegae Department store in town. They are available at the airport as well.

Iope is available at Emart , Lotte mart and Aritaum.

If you a big fan of these brands , there are few reasons why you should buy in Korea ..

1) Cheaper than SG and there is tax refund.

2) Brands like IOPE and Hera are not available in SG.

3) Generous samples

4) These products works on my skin very well.

Below were my buys from Laneige back in 2012 when i was still using their products before switching to HERA. I was given a free luggage and hell lot of samples for purchase of SGD 800 and above. It filled up that entire luggage.

I bought home 1.5 years of supply of facial product.

I have since switched to HERA and because it is not available in SG and i have to really stock up .

3) Aritaum

You can find brands like IOPE , Laneige and Mamonde in Aritaum. I love Aritaum make up produts because they are cheap , nice colour and pretty good.

See the crayon lip tints and crayon eye shadows ? They were going at 1+1 for KRW 6,900. It is cheap and can’t decide which colour to buy ?
Just get all lah !

You can find whole range of IOPE products in Arituam. I have been to Korea 4 times but i have not seen any Iope boutique before.

Even blushers come in the form of cushions.

4) BB Cushions and CC creams

Korea is the mother of all BB and CC Creams.

And now the BB Cushion and CC cushion for easy application !

My favourite goes to Hera UV Mist Cushion and Hera CC cream. Iope is another popular choice among the locals.

They come in various shades which suits Asian skin tones. It costs about KRW 40,000-KRW45,000 and it comes with a refill pack.

5) Facial masks

Again not only being cheap is the reason but they have lots of selections for different skin types. It also work very well in hydrating the skin.

I bought like 300 over packs to last me 1.5 years. Instead of keeping them at room temperature , i kept them in the fridge so that the sheets remains moist and preserve the essence on the sheets.

My favourite brands are from Missha and Sulwhasoo. I bought 300 packets of Missha masks at 1+1 and each was KRW 1000-KRW3500 depending on the type of mask. The hydrogel ones are more than KRW3,000.

You can buy from the boutiques at Myengdong ( for tax refund ) or Supermarket such as Lotte mart and Emart. Usually the ones at Myeongdong does not have discount or 1+1 promotions. I realized it on one of my trips. I was helping friends to buy Missha masks and got some from the boutique at Myengdong and i swept up all the green tea stocks available at their boutique ( about few hundred pieces ) and i have to go to else where to get the remaining. So i went somewhere and i saw a Missha at subway underpass and saw that there was 1+1 promotion ( no tax refund ) . So you have to work on your maths to see which one is cheaper and you save more.

6) Seaweeds and snacks.

You can buy Korean snacks from Emart or Lotte Mart which can be found at departmental store. You can find your favourite and delicious and cheap Korean snacks there. I always buy a trolley full and bring it back to SG. They don’t give you plastic bags so bring your own HUGE bag or you can use the boxes found near the cashier to wrap up your shopping.

However , if you prefer a bag , you can pay for a paper bag. I dont recommend that if you have TOO many things because it breaks quite easily.

7) Kimchi and side dishes

Seriously , you can never get them so tasty in SG.

I never buy Kimchi in those aluminum packages and instead i bought those homemade ones because they are much tastier.
You can buy them from Emart or Lotte Mart. Be sure to wrap them up properly and suggest to send it back to SG in a box or else the Kimchi juice might leak and stained your clothes and the smell may linger on your clothes for a while.

8) Made in Korea apparels

Myeongdong , Dongdaemun , Namdaemun , Hongdae , Ehwa , Garusil Gil etc

Just to name afew , there are the popular places among tourists.

I skip on Dongdaemun and Namdaemun because some are china made and very platinum mall Bangkok like pieces. And are very overpriced. The ahjumma there are not very friendly. I deal with a supplier from Namdaemun before and they are really rude.

I only shop in 2 local boutiques at Myeong dong because they sell their own labels and design their own means there is quality control. And the apparels are priced tagged.

Try to bargain when you are buying. Some shops don’t indicate any price tags and i usually avoid those unless i really like the item and find the price reasonable. I was quoted KRW 32,000 for a skirt and a friend was quoted KRW 18,000. The salesman must have thought i am a tourist and don’t understand Korean and when my Korean friend asked for the price again , she was quoted cheaper ( almost half the price ). The salesman must have thought we were not friends . But i understand what the price he quoted to other person in Korean.

So for those shops that does not have any price tags on their apparels , do try to bargain.

9) Cute and little accessories such as stockings , socks and samsung mobile covers.

I get all my winter, spring and autumn stockings from there because they are very cheap and good. You can get a winter stockings/leggings with fleece for KRW5,000. That is why i can still wear skirt with the stockings in such cold weather.

They have tonnes of cute little stocks with ribbons and prints at KRW 1,000 each ! Some were going at KRW 800. Samsung mobile covers are cheaper there. I got one for my cousin from Korea for her Note 3 at like SGD 20 cheaper ?

I got my stockings and leggings from Ah jummas at the road side stalls. Or you can get from shops that sells those cute little socks and hair accessories.

******

Happy shopping in Korea and worry about overweight luggage ?

One tip is to send all your shopping buys back via EMS Korea to SG.
It takes 3 working days. Meaning if you send it out on Monday , you will receive it on Wednesday.

I sent 500 pieces of Missha masks to my friend from Korea ( helped her to buy..you see im such a good friend haha , carrying 100 pieces each time x 4 trips is really not easy and super heavy ) and it costs about KRW 34,000. It is cheaper than paying for extra baggage weight.

And i buy my Hera skin care products from the airport duty free. There is one counter which carries the full range. Hera bottles are made of glass and very heavy. Definitely going to add weight onto your luggage. So i will buy at the airport and hand carry up to the plane instead to save on overweight baggage fees.

Well , have a good time and happy shopping !

Jul1

Something to share this week. I have been using it for a week and love it lots.

You have heard of Air Cushion BB Cream but now , we have the Air Cushion Blusher.

Got this one from IOPE. The only brand that i know of that came out with the Air Cushion Blusher. I can’t remember how much was it but not more than KRW 40,000.

Just like a Air Cushion BB Cream , it comes with an air cushion. The size of the pot is smaller than that of a BB Cushion though.

Currently one colour available – Rose Pink.

I kinda love it because it gives a pinkish sheen and glow on my cheeks. Works well if you apply with BB Air Cushion instead of normal foundations or powders. Looks strange if you apply matte foundations or powders and suddenly you have 2 patches of dewy looking blusher on your cheeks. There is a little sheen so i like how it kinda highlights my cheek bones and gives a little 3D look. My favourite brand HERA has not come out with a Air Cushion Blusher yet. Shall wait and see. Currently only IOPE has it .

Applied it in the picture below but lighting was too strong so can only see abit.

Im kinda hooked to The Return of Superman because of the cute babies ! OMGGG so cute ! You can watch all episodes on youtube.

The twin girlies are soo cute and chubby. Gosh ! Sooo adorbs !

May3

Some people asked me what is the diff between Laneige , Iope and Hera BB cushion. So i decided to blog it here.

Battle of the BB cushions.

I have been using BB creams since 2012. The first one was from Etude house because it comes with a sponge applicator that is soo easy to apply and i was only introduced to BB cushions in 2013 on my first trip to Korea. My first BB cushion was from Iope before i switched to Hera because i find it more moisturising and gives a more dewy look. Different BB cushion suits different type of skin tone and texture. I kinda like the IOPE one but if only it is more moisturising and i felt that the sponge seems to dry up much faster than the Hera one. After tested out these 3 brands before. I decided that Hera is definitely the winner in my opinion. For all BB cushion , im using Natural tone ( N ).

Iope BB Cushion (N21)

It is about KRW 40,000 if i can remember correctly. Comes with refill pack. You can get it at any Aritaumn shop in Korea.

Coverage : 6/10 – Medium and if you need more coverage , you need to pat more.

Colour tone – Pink with slight yellow tone

Finish – Slightly Matt. I can’t see any dewy finish.

How long does it last – Not really long lasting and you need to touch up pretty often.

Laneige BB Cushion ( #14 Pink Beige).

Cant remember the pricing but its about KRW 40,000 with refill. You can get it at Aritaumn , Lotte Dept Store or Shinsaegae Dept Store.

Coverage : 6/10 – Medium but slightly more than IOPE.

Colour tone – Pink with slight yellow tone. Even though it says PINK BEIGE but i see yellow tinge on my skin. Noted the difference once i put on my concealer. My skin seems to look yellow and pretty obvious after i applied my concealer. You can see the skin colour comparison.

Finish – Very slightly dewy. Slightly matte.

How long does it last – Quite ok and able to last more than 6 hours.

Hera UV Mist Cushion (N21) or (C21 for the long stay summer edition)

KRW45,000 with refill pack. You can get it at Lotte Dept Store or Shinsaegae Dept Store.

Coverage : 8/10 – Good Coverage

Colour tone – Pink tone.

Finish – Dewy

How long does it last – Long lasting.

The dewy part and the colour tone part is the one which won me over because i dont like foundations or bases with yellow tone. Prefer pinkish tone for healthy glow look. Coverage wise not a concern because my skin is good. And usually i touch up after meals because i use wet tissue to wipe my mouth after meals and i may rub it off.

I have not tried the ones from Sulwhasoo yet. Maybe one day i should get samples and let’s see which BB cushion is the real winner.

Hope this information helps.

Oct1

Here are some beauty buys from Korea. I bought the IOPE highlighter too but i have yet to unpack my luggage so i will review it later. I have started using these for Agneselle’s shoot done on Monday.

I bought these crayon eye shadow from Aritaum. Got the first one at KRW 6500 and 2 at KRW6500 on the other day. They just have random sales anytime they want.

I love these. I gave it to Agneselle’s make up artist – Pearlyn Law to use it for the shoot yesterday. She is my make up guru and advisor. I will always ask her how to use it and if i used it correctly because after all make up is her profession. Before knowing her , i have a foundation , eyeliner and blusher in my make up pouch. But after knowing her , it started from a pouch to several baskets and pouches !

What i like about these crayon eyeshadow is that it is very smooth and easy to apply. Frankly speaking , i dont know how to put on eye shadow. I have single eyelids and double ( sometimes it just suddenly appear probably because i gained weight or i was too tired ). Im a noob when it comes to powder eyeshadows. But this is easy to apply and good for people like me who is a noob when it comes applying eye shadows.

It comes in more than 10 colours and i only bought 3 of them. The pinkish one act as a base , the bronze one for the eyelid and purplish one as liner. It is a little creamy so easier to blend.

It has a blending brush on the other side.

I have started using it so it has little bit of shimmers on it.

It is actually not so glittery like the one in the picture below. I applied more on my back hand so that you can see the colours. Infact it is very subtle when you just go over your eyelids.

So if you happen to know someone there or popping by Aritaum , you should give this a try.

Pearlyn did a vintage hairdo for me to match the upcoming Agneselle’s lace dress which she and Fiona are getting because they love it ! All 3 of us were excited about the dresses we took for photoshoot yesterday because they were so nice.

Pearlyn created this “fake double eyelid” look for me using eyeshadow and eyeliner. I did not go for plastic surgery in Korea. Anyway after i came back from Korea , some people i met asked ” You looked prettier after you came back , did you do something to your face ?? “

-_-

It is the MAKE UP lah !!!! My eye rings look really bad from the flu. I looked like a panda.

Pearlyn used the IOPE BB Cushion which i bought from Korea for the photoshoot.

I bought this lipstick from The Face Shop at KRW10,900 .

It is creamy matt pink and i like it because it i long lasting. Even after drinking a hot latte and eating a cupcake , the colour still stay on and i didnt need to touch up. I used it for yesterday’s shoot too.

I mixed it with the Tony Moly orangey lipstick for the colour on my lips below.

The Hera UV Mist Cushion. Finally i got the Shimmer Vanilla at the Airport. It must be selling really well else it wont be out of stock at Lotte Dept Store and Shinsaegae. It comes with a refill pack and selling at USD31 in the airport ( Lotte Duty Free ).

I have not opened it yet and will review it later.

If you are travelling to Korea, you should buy their make up and skincare products. Cheap doesn’t mean they are not good. Because they are made in Korea, that’s why they are cheap. If you were to buy them in SG , the price will be 2 or 3 times more.

Here are some brand you should buy and look out for if you are travelling them anytime soon !

1) Missha – Buy their sheet masks and Super Aqua Detox Peeling Gel ( Both are less than SG 10) . I recommended them to all my readers and friends. All of them are now a big fan of these and they are very good. Plus it is cheap and affordable. You can buy them from their outlets or counters at Emart or Lotte Mart. One mask cost about $1.00.

2) The Face Shop – Buy their lipsticks and concealers. Available at their outlets or counters at Emart or Lotte Mart

3) Tony Moly – Buy their lipsticks , lipglosses and foot cream/foot mask ! If you want nice and smooth feet , buy their foot moisture cream/mask . I love their lipglosses to the max ! They have one of the best orangey colour lipsticks .It is very moisturizing too. Lipsticks and lipglosses cost about KRW 6,000 – KRW 10,000 each. I got my lipstick during a sale at KRW 4,900 and lipgloss at KRW 6,000. With just $10 , you can have kissable looking lips.

4) Banila and co – Highlighter and Radiance concealer. A little bit pricer than the brands above but still cheaper than other international brands you see out there. They are sort of a replica of Benefit esp when it comes to packaging and products they launched. Highlighter looks almost the same and price difference was 3 times. Of cos Banila and Co is the cheaper one.

5) IOPE – BB Cushion , Highlighter and skincare product. Most of the Korean girls i know age 22 and below are using IOPE skincare products. The BB cushion cost about KRW 38,000 and comes with refill pack too. I have blogged about it. I have the IOPE facial gel cleanser (KRW 15,000) but i still prefer Hera’s foam cleanser because i feel much more cleaner using foam cleanser than gel. IOPE products are not really cheap esp the whitening range. Available at Aritaum , Lotte Mart or Emart. I cant find the counters at Lotte Dept Store or Shinsaegae. Not available at Airport too. Aritaum house most of the products under Amore Pacific.

6) HERA – Known for their skincare products and CC cream. I LOVE IT ! Some of my readers and customers read my post and they went to buy it. They emailed me that it is amazingly good and asked me to introduce more products from Hera. I have not tried their facial masks yet. I was given the White Program Facial Sheet Masks and will review it if it is good and works. I have 10 products from Hera for face ( cleanser , essence , eye serum , moisturiser , toner, emulsion etc ) . I slap on about 6-7 of them in the day and all at night before i sleep. I am also using their CC cream. You can purchase it from Lotte Store , Shinsaegae or their main flagship at Apujeong. Limited range available at Airport and mostly basic skincare. The one at Apujeong gives you ALOT of samples and they are very generous when it comes to samples. I was given 3 or 5 of white program sheet masks when i bought my first Hera set from Apujeong.

That is all i can think of right now. I tried Innisfree and Nature Republic stuff. But they dont really work that well and too mild. Not much or no effect. So usually i skip this 2 brands. But Innisfree apple make up remover smells yummy.

Im like a Korea weather reporter. When i was in Korea, alot of friends asked me what to wear and weather over there and where to go and what make up/skin care brands to buy. When im in SG , still got people ask me about Korea’s weather.

Easy peasy, just bring a good jacket that can keep you warm !

Beside pairing 3/4 knit tops with skater skirt and ankle boots , you can wear long sleeve tight bandage dresses and pair them with leggings or stockings. Throw a nice coat over at night when it turns cold.

Here is one of my favourite dress for Autumn in Korea. I got it in 3 colours – Grey , Ivory and Black. It is made of a rough cotton which helps to trap heat and keep warm. You will probably sweat like crazy if wear it in SG. I love it because it is light weight and trendy.

This is how i pair it up in Korea. With a pair of ankle booties.

Pair this up with leggings and converse sneakers for a casual look at night.

Waiting for Fio to finish the pictures so that i can preview it here ! Gorgeous Racerback front dress , eyelet high waisted skirt that gives you slim looking waist and a 3/4 sleeve lace dress !

I have uploaded part of the preview for upcoming launch on FB ! My favourite gotta go to all the tops ! They goes well with anything esp the Peacock Crochet Top which is made of thick chiffon .

Good night !