[JOLSE] Rivecowe Bubble Mask Pack review

I really thought I would not win another Jolse product since it took forever for me to receive and review my last product from Jolse. But I did! And it's the one I really wanted to try! It's the Rivecowe Bubble Mask Pack! I'll admit, I was drawn by the pink packaging and the fact that it's a bubble forming mask! Can you believe I never tried one before? Not even the popular Elizavecca one! So I was very excited to find out I won. Then my excitement was dampened by the thought that it's going to take three months to get to me. -__- Damn you CBSA and Canada Post! *shakes fist at sky*

But... Guess what? I found a bubble envelope in my mailbox just a week after I found out I won! Jolse mailed it on July 7th using K-Packet and I got it on July 17th! That's impressive! Yay! Canada Post is finally going through its backlog!

Okay, rave over. Let's get to the review of the mask itself.

The package itself is very cute, not gonna lie. XD The pink packaging and the bow totally got me. Hahaha

The instruction for the masks was a little confusing as I am not sure if I am supposed to use it on a clean face or not. So I looked up on Jolse and found out it's supposed to remove even makeup! So I decided to draw on my face with some liners and see how it goes. I actually did two days of it so there will pictures from both days. 

Before I go any further, I just want to make a comment on the scent of the product. Which is actually a light fresh floral scent that's quite nice. Not quite apple blossom but pretty close.

Day 1

I used Etude House's Play 101 stick from the Pink Cherry Blossom set, they are the #49 and Pink Bonbon. We will see how well it removes the liners.

This is a black mask that started to bubble immediately upon opening of the package. 

As I was taking the above photo, I can tell it's starting to really bubble up and had to rush to get it on my face. It was an interesting experience. I can feel and hear the bubbles forming. Then about the 5 minute mark I could feel it starting to group together and then bursting.

I was busy taking videos and pictures that I didn't take the mask off until past 7 minutes, which is well past the recommended 3-5 minutes. 

The drawings on my face didn't seem to have budged a bit so this is looking like skintertainment to me. BUT........

Mark my surprise when I washed my face with just water! It all came off! Completely clean!!! I am so surprised!!!! Gah! This works well!!

It was pretty easy to wash off the bubble mask as it made my skin feel slippery. I splashed water on areas that felt slippery and it rinsed off easily. 

However, my face felt a bit tight afterwards. I thought perhaps it was due to the fact that I had it on for too long and didn't wash my face immediately after removing it. Plus, I wanted to see how it do against waterproof makeup, so I decided to give it another try.

DAY 2

I got bored and started drawing.. XD 

For day 2, I thought I would follow the instructions of only using it for maximum of 5 minutes and see how it goes against waterproof eyeliner. Since I don't want the mask go near my eyes, I drew on my chubby cheeks. There's ample enough canvas there. 😃 I used Kiss Me eyeliner, Peripera Peri's Ink Velvet and Aritaum Volume Up Oil Tint. I thought I used the waterproof eyeliner but it looks like I used the regular version instead. T__T Too late now but let's proceed to see how it did.

I made sure I had this on for 5 minutes, and around 3.5 to 4 minutes, I can feel the bubbles are forming into big ones and then collapsing so I knew it was about time to remove it.*side note* I look like a crazy maniac wearing a weird mask. Hahahahahahaha  

Just upon removal, I can see some of the eyeliner already came off and the Ink Velvet was barely there. I washed my face immediately and almost everything came off. I was very surprised the Volume Up tint didn't completely come off as I would have thought the Ink Velvet would have won the battle. Interestingly, when I was washing off the bubbles from the mask, I can see a tinge of red from the Volume Up tint. 

Look at how well it removed everything, except for that little tinge of red from the Volume Up tint. 

However, even though I took it off within 5 minutes and washed my face immediately, my face still felt dry and taught after using the mask. Granted it is not as bad as day 1, but it definitely is not a moisturizing mask. I had to add extra boost of hydration in my routine to counter this dryness. Considering I have combination skin that tend to be dry, this is not ideal for people with dry skin. 

Overall, I think this is a fun mask to play with. It has the skintertainment aspect with the bubbles, and it is good at removing makeup and cleansing the skin. But because it made my skin feel dry, I don't think I would purchase this.

**This product was sent to me by Jolse but all opinions are mine**

Colour Correcting Concealers: NYX vs A'PIEU

Story time, I purchased the A'Pieu Four-fect Cover Concealer (YoonCharMi collection) back in November 2016. But thanks to CBSA and Canada Post, I didn't receive it till well into 2017. I needed a colour correcting palette in the mean time so I picked up a NYX colour correcting concealer palette. I have played with both palette and think this would make a great comparison post!

The A'Pieu palette was roughly US$8.10 + shipping, which I think is around C$12+shipping, for about 6g of product and only four colours. Whereas the NYX palette is about C$17 including GST, for 9g of products and six colours. I should note that the A'Pieu palette is a special edition and is no longer on sale. However, I think the normal version, which is called Multi Correcting Concealer, is still available.

Moving onto the actual products. The two products are of different textures/consistency. The NYX is more waxy, so it requires body heat to warm it up before application. It doesn't really work with a brush and can't be spread very easily. When I have it on, I feel like I can see exactly where I applied it despite blending it as much as I can.

Whereas the A'Pieu palette is very creamy and blends easily. However, just looking at the two palettes, A'Pieu is lighter in colour in comparison to NYX.

I only use two of the colours for both palette, the salmon orange for the dark circles, and the green for redness. So I will only discuss these two colours.

I think the above picture really illustrate how much creamier A'Pieu is compared to NYX, but NYX is more pigmented. Both blends in well on my hand. But let's be real, it needs to blend in well on my dark circles, not the back of my hand. 😅

Urg my dark circles are so bad!  But can you see how the NYX is way better at covering up the dark circle than the A'Pieu? I was surprised when I saw the photos because I quite liked the texture of A'Pieu. I really thought it was doing a much better job than the NYX but I guess I was wrong.

 Here's a closeup of the NYX, can you see the colour difference between my skin and the concealer? It bothers me a little bit because it feels like it's not blending in correctly.

 The A'Pieu is blending in a little bit better on the close up but you can still see the colour difference.

This is two layers of the A'Pieu, and the colour difference is much more noticeable. It looks like it's just sitting on top of my skin instead of blending in. It kind of reminds me of the NYX concealer, but even the second layer, A'Pieu is still not providing as much coverage as one layer of NYX. -__-

Comparing the two together, and the A'Pieu looks so yellow compared to NYX.

Excuse the flaky nose!! I didn't realize there was so much flakes on there -___- Anyways, did you notice the NYX is pretty green even though I blended it out. This is an issue I have with the green concealer. No matter I blend it out, the green keeps on showing up.

Overall, I think both palettes has their pros and cons. The NYX palette is better pigmented and provides better coverage. But its texture makes it difficult to blend out. Whereas the A'Pieu has a creamier texture and easier to blend out. However, its coverage is really meh compared to NYX.
There's no clear winner in this battle, it just depends on your preferences.

I would definitely use the NYX salmon orange for my dark circles and the A'Pieu for redness as I don't need much coverage on those.

[JOLSE] VPROVE Rhodiola Power Cream review

Woot~~ I won the VPROVE Rhodiola Power Cream from Jolse back in March! I was super looking forward to receiving it and trying it out. But guess what... CBSA and Canada Post decided I shouldn't get to play with it for 3.5 months. Soooo.... Even though Jolse shipped it on March 17, I didn't receive it till end of June.. T____T I obviously missed the April 20th deadline but I figured I should share my thoughts on it anyways 😊

The cream comes in a tube with a long nozzle, which allows for sanitary dispersion of cream each time. There is 35ml in each tube, and it retails for roughly US$18 on Jolse. You may be like me, and think 35ml is too little. But trust me, a little goes a long way. 

Ingredients:

water, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Rhodiola Sacra Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Propoanediol, Niacinamide, Clyclopentasiloxane, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Cclohexasiloxane, Butyrospermum Parkii (shea) Butter, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Glycereth-26, Sodium Chloride, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Titanium Dioxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ozokerite, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Panthenol, Dextrin Palmitate, Jojoba Esters, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Madecassoside, Allantoin, Ethylhexaylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, denosine, Aluminum Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Zinc Oxde, Panax Ginseng root Extract, Magnesium PCA Sodium Lactate, Tocopherol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Serine, Sucrose, Urea, Glycine, Calcium Cholride, Potassium Hydroxide, Omithine, Sea Salt, Alanine, Magnesium Cholride, Threonine, Histidine, Aspartic Acid, Valine, Proline, Dipotassium Phosphate, Lysine, Tyrosine, Lucine, Phenylalanine, Isoleucine, Glucosamine HLI, Magneisum Citrate, Asparagine, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, Glutamic Acid, Citrulline, Arginine, Uric Acid, Methionine, Tryptophan, Turine, Glutamine, Cysteine, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance

CosDNA

That's one long list for a small tube of product eh? *My Canadian-ness is coming through. 😂😂*

According to the CosDNA analysis, there isn't much triggers. The biggest trigger is the Tocopherol, with the level of 2 for acne trigger and irritant. There are other ingredients, such as Sodium Lactate and Phenoxyethanol, has a level 4 for safety. But I think this cream should be okay for sensitive skin. 

If you have read my blog before, then you know how important fragrance in products are to me. I am not going to lie, I am confused regarding my feelings to this cream. 

Let me explain... When I smell it out of the tube, it smells like wood chips and men's cologne to me. When it goes on my face, I can smell it for a good 10 minutes before the scent dissipate. I can deal with the scent, just don't like the fact that I kind of smells like men's cologne. Then.. I swatched it on the back of my hand and I can smell floral undertones to this cream. WHAT?! 😖 As time passes, I keep sniffing my hand. The scent still lingers, but much lighter than the initial application and I can definitely smell the floral notes. So this cream has a confusing scent.. Hahaha. I don't let it bother me since it's becomes very light within 10 -15 minutes. You shouldn't either unless you really dislike the scent. 

The cream is off white and I would say normal kind of cream texture. Does that make any sense? It's cream but not very thick, because otherwise it can't pass through that tiny little nozzle. It spreads beautifully. Remember how I said a little goes a long way? Yeah. You really don't need much for this cream. I use about a pea sized and it was sufficient for my chubby face. So the 35ml tube should be sufficient for a month's usage as I think this is more of a day cream. 

Why is it a day cream? Well, the cream is advertised to be a temperature-overcoming cream that strengthen's the skin's power, preventing it from becoming sensitive from the changes from indoor and outdoor temperatures. I was sold on this claim and was super excited for this cream so I can test it against the super cold and dry AB weather. But alas, I got this in June, and missed my chance to test it against the cold weather. Luckily, for the cream testing not so much for me, we have been having and continue to have a heat wave in Cowtown. (Great for Stampede but gah for someone who lives with no AC) So the cream is being tested against the strong sun and dry heat instead of the minus 20C weather. But I digress. This is a day cream, and it's kind of self explanatory now. Since it's unlikely you will go outside after doing your night routine, so the cream would be used before you head out the door in the morning. 

As for the performance, well... First of all, I have to say I LOVE the cream. Not for its performance regarding the temperature difference but for its ability to tone down stickiness! I used this as the last step in my routine, and let me tell you, it's amazing! 

Neogen Code9 Pore Tightening Aqua Cream. It moisturizes well but leaves my skin tacky

My skin tend to be a bit dewy and little sticky from all the serums I use, especially from the Neogen Code9 Pore Tightening Aqua Cream. It makes my skin dewy and moisturized, but it does make my skin feel a bit sticky and takes a while to sink in. But ooooh let me tell you, I put on just a pea sized of the VPROVE cream, and bam! All stickiness is gone! My skin feels cool and "dry" and I can touch my skin without feeling like I have rubbed off some of the Neogen cream. GAW I love the VPROVE cream for this factor alone! 😍😍😍 This is also how I know the pea sized portion is sufficient for my chubby face! No stickiness anywhere with just a pea sized portion of the VPROVE cream. 

With both the Neogen and VPROVE creams

As for the temperature-overcoming claim, I think it's definitely true! My face feels cooler to the touch and it's very evident on the swatch on back of my hand. I put my super warm palm on the back of my hand and I can feel the difference immediately! The swatched section feels much cooler than the unswatched area. It also feels much softer and more moisturized as well!

Overall, I have to say I LOVE this cream. I would totally repurchase it and can't wait to try it out against the cooooold weather we have here. I am so happy I got a chance to review this cream from Jolse. But... Jolse, can you PLEASE bring back the standard shipping for Canada? 😭😭😭 There are Canadian customers like me who is okay to wait 3 months for our products. Just maybe have an additional checkout step for us Canucks to say we are okay to wait for 3+ months...  I want to buy things but the only shipping option available is DHL and I hate DHL with a passion.. T___T I can't buy more of this cream from Jolse which sucks because I don't know where else to buy it.. T____T 

[PR Sample] - Benton Papaya-D Sun Cream SPF38/PA+++

Benton was asking for reviewers for its new sun cream on Instagram so I went and applied. I was surprised I got in as I also qualified for the Cacao cream but yay! New products to test out!

Just a random blurb, but I was surprised when they shipped it via DHL! Such an expensive shipping option for PR samples! Unfortunately, with the way our customs and postal service is working, DHL is necessary if you want the reviewers to receive it in time. Seriously, I am not even kidding. I haven't received the cacao cream they sent out via registered mail, and a product I won from Jolse back in March just arrived at the end of June.. =__= Oh the joy that is called Canada Post.😠😟

But I digress. The Benton Papaya-D Sun Cream SPF38/PA+++ the very first sun cream made by Benton, which includes both physical and chemical sunscreen agents. It contains papaya water and papaya fruit extract which contains various vitamins and nutrients, purportedly will keep the skin moist and vibrant. Looking at the ingredients list, there is also niacinamide and adenosine, which is great in achieving a brighter and smoother complexion.

Here is the full ingredients list:
Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Water(55%), Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aluminum Hydroxide, Panthenol, Carica Papaya Seed Oil(5000ppm), Glyceryl Caprylate, Stearic Acid, Water, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract(750ppm),Tocopherol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Papain(100ppm), Propanediol, Adenosine, Sodium Gluconate, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Algin, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Bud Extract, Glucose, Juniperus Communis Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Oil

CosDNA

They even have a verification sticker on the top of the box! 

On the literature sent with the sun cream, Benton noted that the sun cream is a sunscreen with a minimal white cast that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. So we will see how it performs shall we?

First thought. THAT SMELL!! Urg. It is very sharp. When I first tried it on the back of my hand, it was very sharp, reminding me of paint. It also never went away. -_- But I realized it's probably the papaya that is causing the sharp smell. I then tried it on my face, and was pleasantly surprised that after the initial assault to the nose, the smell dissipates and I become noseblind to it. The smell was not bothering me at all for the whole day. But you will get that initial shock of scent each time you put it on. But once it's on, the scent does dissipate. So don't be put off by the initial smell! It will go away I promise!

The cream comes out of the tube easily, and it is an opaque white colour. A little goes a long way, I only need about a dime sized for my chubby face. It spreads easily and leaves my skin feeling moisturized hours afterwards. So Benton did not lie that it is a moisturizing sunscreen!

I didn't find any reactions from using the cream for a few days in a row. My skin is not very reactive, so if I don't have any breakouts within a couple of days, then it's all good. But, as everyone has different skin types, it may be different for you.

Now, what everyone really cares about. Is there white cast? Benton says it's minimal, but I beg to differ. There is definitely a white cast, pretty noticeable on the back of my hands and on my face.

Using the back of my hands as an example, you can tell where I have applied the sunscreen. That portion has a shine to it whenever light hits it. Even in indirect light, I can tell that area is lighter.

Natural lighting coming from above my hand, office lighting and flash

Natural lighting coming from right hand side

Now onto my face. You can see, I don't need much to cover half of my chubby face. It's actually too much and I had to spread some to the other side. 😆

There is definitely a shine to the cream. It makes my skin look shiny! *sings* I am so....shiny!  I love the music from Moana if you couldn't tell from that reference 😝

No sun cream vs sun cream

Look at that shine from the light coming in the window.. 

Anyways, I also tried putting on some BB cushion on top of it to see how it reacts with makeup. Um... Let's start with the good? Because it is so moisturizing, the makeup goes on SMOOTHLY. I always found that when I put on makeup, it kind of looks caked on even with one layer. That is because my skin is so dry. With this sun cream on, I can put on more than one layer of BB cream and it looks like I got nothing on! Yay! What's even better? I have NO skincare underneath. Just clean skin and the sun cream. So yes, this is one moisturizing sun cream!

Seriously! This is two layers of BB cream and it looks like I have nothing on..What?!

Now the bad.. Um... I am still so.. SHINY~~ (Go listen to that song again!) Despite the two layers, I still got that shine. The shine is extremely prominent on my nose and cheeks. It looks like I got highlighter on but seriously, it's just the sun cream and the BB cream!😂 So use this if you want that highlighter look. 😅 Oh and for those wondering, yes the shine last ALL day! I had it on around 11AM and went out to do Canada Day events and came back after 5PM. The shine was STILL present. 😅

You can tell I got makeup on since my complexion got better. But that shine never went away!

Overall, I really like the fact that the sun cream is so moisturizing. But I am not a fan how shiny it makes me look. This girl doesn't need to look like she's sweaty throughout the summer. My moisturizers already gave me that sweaty/greasy look, I don't need to add to it. I think I will give it another try by putting some powder on top and see if it helps. If it doesn't then I'll probably use it on my decolletage as I always forget that area and it needs some protection from the sun.

With the price tag of roughly $20USD, I don't think I'll repurchase. But I am really appreciative that Benton sent it to me to review!

**This product was sent to me for free for review purposes from Benton, but all opinions are 100% mine.