Holika Holika Real Rose Hydrogel Mask

I have been hoarding this mask for a while now. I think if you read my blog or Instagram for a while, you would know why. 😂 In case if you don't, it is because I love rose skincare items. ESPECIALLY if there are real flowers in the mix. This Holika Holika Real Rose Hydrogel mask advertises that it has rose extracts as well as rose petals in the mask. How could I resist?!

Missha x Line Friends Tension Blusher

I told myself I wouldn't get anymore Missha x Line Friends items, seeing how I already snagged two. I refrained from getting the Tension Blusher even though Brown looks SO cute with those blush lines!!!

When I saw it on sale at BBCosmetics I just had to get it. I got PK 02 as it looks like a good inbetween shade of pink and coral. (This took forever to arrive due to Customs and Canada Post but that's an issue out of everyone's hands. -__-)

This is the official shade. it's cute right?

Anyways, this is such a cute mini cushion! It has all the components of a cushion. Cushion puff, housing for the puff and the blush itself.

I really appreciate the puff is the same kind of puffs as in regular cushions! So this deserves a picture by itself. You'll see why later on.

I don't know if you can tell.. But the colour on this is different from the official photo.. -__- Urg.. This looks super orange.

The more I looked at it, the more it looks like the swatch photo on the right instead of the left. I should've known.. T___T

Now you may be wondering why there is no swatch of it yet. It's because I wanted to do a comparison between the two cushion blushers I have. The Holika Holika x Gudetama and the Missha x Line Friends cushion blushers. So read on for the comparison.

The main reason behind the comparison is the difference in the texture of the blushes. They are both what I would consider as "cushion blushers" but the textures of the "cushion" is very different. As you can see in the photo above, the Holika Holika one on the right looks like wet powder and it retains the shape of whatever touched it last. Whereas the Missha blush is a tension blusher, with a mesh on top of a wet blush mixture.

Oh, remember I mentioned about the cushion puff for Missha is nice and deserves a picture by itself? This is the reason why. The puff for Holika Holika is Styrofoam like and doesn't absorb much product. Whereas the Missha puff is like the normal cushion puff so it is porous and absorbs some product during application. I honestly prefer the Missha puff better as it feels nicer against my skin.

Okay, swatch time, so I can show you how orange this "pinkish coral" shade is. -__-

This is Holika Holika, and it looks dry on my finger doesn't it? This is what I mean by it looks like wet powder.

Whereas the Missha looks like liquid blush on my finger.

Okay. Actual swatch on the arm! FINALLY! 😅😆

The Holika Holika blush is in Apricot, which is OR#01 and the Missha is PK #02. So you would think they shouldn't be similar shades right? I know the Missha is quite light but you should be able to see the two shades are both orange. -___- THIS IS NOT PINK MISSHA! I bought it specifically because I wanted a pinker shade. Not another orange shade.. -___-

Needless to say I am a bit annoyed with Missha over this shade difference. Good thing the packaging is cute as hell!

PS. I am surprised how pigmented Holika Holika is considering it doesn't show up that well on my skin.

Holika Holika x Gudetama - Lazy & Joy Jelly Dough Blusher

I am back with my love for Gudetama~~ I just can't stay away from that eggy goodness. Hehehe. This time it's the Holika Holika x Gudetama Lazy & Joy Jelly Dough Blusher!

Source

As you can see, the cushion blusher comes in 4 shades. 

Source

I got OR01, which I think is apricot. Or at least I am calling it apricot. It was the lightest out of the four and more natural looking to me. 

Look how cute he is as a pudding!! 😍😍

I think I have a thing for cushions. They just make carrying cosmetics around so much easier. I can touch up my makeup any time, anywhere. 

This is a cushion blusher, so it is very similar to a BB cushion. It is much smaller but it still have the same components. The mirror, puff (it's Gude's face!), housing for the puff, and the blush cushion. 

Bwahahahaha!!! Look at that butt heading into the apricot! I love it! I also really enjoy the the fact that they turned this traditionally white housing into a clear one with printed picture. It really adds to the cuteness factor! 

The actual cushion part is where it differs from a traditional BB cushion. The traditional BB cushion is replaceable in that you can pop it out of the casing and replace it with a refill. The blush cushion on the other hand is not replaceable. It is a pan stuck in the bottom of the casing with the blush. 

I am not sure how to describe the texture of the cushion. In pictures it looks to be like a pressed powder blush, but it has a sponge-like texture in that you can squish it around. But the actual blush doesn't feel very wet to the touch, it actually feel and look powdery on skin. So it's a quite confusing texture. 

The cushion puff is white, so you can see how much product is picked up with each application. The instructions given on websites that sell it is to use small amounts and slowly build on it. So I tried to follow instructions and was careful to only apply a small amount. I was disappointed to see that it was not noticeable at all. 

In the end, I found that I often need at least two applications before I can even see it on my skin. So if you like to use a heavy hand with blush, this shade may not work for you. =__=

I can kind of see the blush on the after picture, but I have a little bit of a hard time seeing it. Maybe I should have colour corrected all the redness in my cheek before applying it. 

I bought this for the cuteness factor, and it definitely delivered in that area. The colour payoff is meh, and the texture is kind of weird. So I don't think I will buy another one from this set. But! If you are interested in buying this, you can find it at Jolse with free shipping or TK but with shipping cost. 

Holika Holika x Gudetama - BB Cushion

I didn't like Gudetama when he came out, I don't know why, I just didn't. But over time, I started to like him, and find him to be me personified. 😎😎 I know.. I am a real person, how can a character personify me.. Whatever.. XD

Anyways, I think I started to fall in love with Gudetama when Holika Holika released their Lazy & Easy collection with him back in May 2016. I resisted most of the items and only got the cushion and refill in shade #21.

Source

 Fast forward to October 2016 and they released their Lazy & Joy collection.. Umph.. My love for Gudetama just can't hold back anymore! I spent a LONG time resist buying everything and cut it down to two of the cushion cases and a blush. If TK wasn't out of the puff at the time, I would've bought it from them too. Don't worry, the little puff is on its way thanks to Jolse. 😁

Source

Source

Okay, love story with Gudetama over, and let's move on to the actual post, which is reviews of the products!

Holika Holika x Gudetama Face 2 Change Photo Ready Cushion BB SPF 50+ PA+++

These are the three cases I bought. The left one is the cushion + refill I purchased from the first collection, Lazy & Easy. The other two are just cushion cases I got from the second collection, Lazy & Easy. To be honest, I would've bought all of the cases if I could have.. ^o^;;

The cases are made of plastic, with the drawings printed on top of a thick layer of clear plastic. The drawings look like they shouldn't rub off but there is always a chance it could, so I may put a coat of clear nail polish on top just to be on the safe side.

I was planning to use the cushion after I am done using the Isa Knox cushion, as this doesn't expire until 2018. However, when I took it out for photos, I realized the seal has been broken, so I must have opened it when I first received it and forgot about it. Oops. Anyways, this just means I have two cushions to alternate between.

It should be noted that the cushion inserts from Season 1 fits into the cases from Season 2, so there is no need to purchase additional refills. Phew. I decided upon the center cushion to use as it's pink and Gudetama is laying on a cushion puff! That's just perfect case!

The inside of the cushion looks like any other cushions, case, housing for the puff (which is Gudetama by the way!) and housing for the actual product.

One complaint I have is regarding the cushion puff. I didn't take a picture of it, but the side you use for application of product is actually white instead of blue. I know it is for you to have a better look at how much product is on there, but it kind of makes me feel a little grossed out. Because every time I use it, I can see the leftover product sitting on there. Speaking of which, I feel like the Gudetama puff absorbs a lot more product than the other cushions I tried before.

I purchased the product in shade #21, the lightest shade they offer. I always pick #21 as I am quite pale for an Asian, but now I am not sure if I am light enough for #21. I'll explain...

 This is the arm swatch, where you can see it's pretty close to my skin colour.

 This is the before picture, in natural lighting. As you can see, there are some redness on the cheek and blemishes along the mouth. There are also some sun spots and you can see some of my larger pores.

This after one application of the BB cushion. The pores are covered such that only the inflamed area near my nose bridge can still be seen. The redness is somewhat reduced but the sunspots are not covered at all. I would say this cushion is light coverage with only one layer, but it could be medium coverage with more layering.

However, like I mentioned above, I am not sure if shade #21 is right for me anymore and I need your help Internet peeps!

I know that when you apply foundation and whatnots, it is supposed to sit on your skin such that it looks like you have nothing on and it is part of your skin. My problem is that every time I put on any of my cushion products, I feel like it is not sitting on my skin properly. I can often see lines on my face, as if the skin is dry when it's well moisturized. I asked my friend who is a makeup artist and she said I may be using product that is a lighter shade than my skin or my skin is just dry.

I don't really have this problem whenever I use my Isa Knox cushion I lied, I put it on today and I am seeing a similar problem I think it's mostly dry patches.., but I can kind of see it with the Gudetama BB cushion, especially on the cheek area. I need help Internet peeps... Does this mean the cushion is too light for me?? ( •᷄ὤ•᷅)？

Update: I used the Gudetama cushion again today and it's much better! I think it must have been because I thoroughly exfoliated the cheeks and slapped on so much serums and creams the night before. So I guess whenever I see those dry looking things, it just means my skin is in need of an exfoliation session.

Masks #9 - Face, Hands & Feet!

In early September, one of my very best friends got married and I trudged up to Edmonton to be a part of the celebration. This is one of the once in a blue moon occasions that I would put on make up and nail polishes. So I brought up some masks with me to use and to make sure I have no dry patches. We all know how makeup loves to accentuate dry patches. ^__-

Dr.Morita Hyaluronic Acid Essence Mask

This is a Taiwanese mask I picked up at the local Chinese supermarket. I read a review somewhere saying the brand is pretty good, and I am a sucker for Hyaluronic Acid so of course I have to buy it. I can't remember the exact price, but it was under $15 for a box of 10 silk masks. Yes.. They are silk masks! They don't advertise it as silk mask except for one little blurb under the "24 hours continuous hydration" on the front. I actually didn't see it until I looked at the above image while typing. Oops..

 Ingredients: As per the package. 

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycosyl Trehalose/Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate (Trehalose), Xanthan gum, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, D-Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Luffa Cylindrica Root Extract, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Algae Extract Ceramide 3; Ceramide 6 II; Ceramide 1; Phylosphingosine; Cholesterol; Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate; Carbomer; Xanthan Gum, Fragrance

CosDNA Analysis

It looks like only Carbomer may cause some irritations, but it's on a scale of 1 so it shouldn't be too bad. 

On a side note, I find it funny how they don't have the full ingredients list in Chinese but rather just the star ingredients. But in English, they list out everything. Must be the FDA rules or something so they can sell it outside of Taiwan. 

That mask was in clear runny essence that is just like water. It doesn't have any strong discernible scent so that is always a plus in my book. The mask is drenched but is not dripping everywhere.

What I love about the mask is that it's got long flaps around the jaw area, such so that it reaches my ears. Yay!! That has always been my problem with masks. I don't have enough to reach there and I feel bad for those patches of skin. Never get any love. Well, not anymore! Dr.Morita to the rescue! :P There was also enough essence for me to spread on my neck too!

**I took a picture of the pearl paper instead of the mask as it was really late by the time I took it off and I couldn't sneak into the bathroom without waking up my friend's family. So this photo I took of the pearl paper while I was putting it on will suffice.**

In the spirit of Halloween, I looked like some kind of masked creature with the pearl paper. XD

I took the mask off after 30 minutes as it was starting to dry in spots and I don't want reverse osmosis to occur. My cheeks feels fine to the touch but my forehead was a bit sticky. Took quite a bit of time before it was all absorbed in and the stickiness went away.

As for result, my skin felt supple and soft. Though the next morning, the CC cream I applied drew my attention to a few dry spots on my cheeks. So I guess this mask isn't as moisturizing as it's advertised to be?

All in all, I wouldn't mind buying this mask again. It have no offensive scent, it reaches to my ears and it's relatively cheap for a local purchase of silk mask. *I am looking at you Lovemore! Same price for half the amount and similar results*


Pure Smile Portion Pack Hand Pearl

This was a mask I got from Memebox, from back in the day. I haven't really thought about it until I started to pack. I don't usually do hand masks as I can't even watch a show without doing something with my hands. So I thought what the hey, might as well look nice for my friend's special day.

 Ingredients: It's all in Korean and I am just not up to translating ingredients right now. 

This is essentially a mask in glove form with an exterior liner to prevent the essence from leaking. Unfortunately for me, it leaked anyways. From the back of the package, it seems like the two gloves are supposed to be attached and you cut them apart when you are ready to use them. But mine was already separated when I took them out of the package, so some essence leaked out. 

As you can see from above, it's just a thin white plastic outer shell with a soft mesh inside. The essence has a thick consistency, almost like a gel, such that it would stay put inside the mask, most of the time. The mask has a perfume smell that reminds me of a shampoo I used to have a long long time ago. But it's not intolerable or anything like that. Just drove me crazy for a while because I can't recall exactly what it reminded me of. 

**Insert face between my hands and pretend I am doing a two handed Kabe-Don. Kekekekeke ^0^  **

Source: nakashima3 Deviantart

Kekeke, jokes aside. I don't think this mask is made for those with big hands. It looks big but as you can see, my hand fill up about 90% of the mask, and I got small hands. So if you got a bigger hand, this may not be for you. 

I had the mask on for about 30 minutes before I had enough of not being able to move my hands or touch the phone screen. My hands were very moisturized and feels softer and supple. My cuticles looked so much happier too! It didn't leave any weird oily feeling on my hand so that's a plus. Though I do recommend doing this before bed and go straight to sleep afterwards. I went to wash my hands, and I can feel some of that essence washing away.. T___T

**My freshly moisturized hands are doing double Kabe-Don to the review.. Kekeke ^0^**

I liked this mask but being a person who loves to use her hands, I don't think I can sit through another 30 minutes of not doing anything with my hands. I wouldn't buy it again but if I am gifted some and have a special occasion coming up, I wouldn't mind forcing myself through it again.

Holika Holika  Baby Silky Foot Mask Sheet

**WARNING: You will see feet.. My gross feet to be exact. So if you are squeamish about these kind of things, please skip!!*

I also did a foot mask at the same time. This is from a Memebox, again. I linked the Canadian Holika Holika website above but I think these are pretty easy to find. They are even on Amazon. So just look on your favourite e-tailers' site and see if it's available.

 Ingredients: As per the website. 

Water, dimethicone, butylene glycol, glycerin, alcohol, minderal oil, cetyl ethythexanoate, betaine, tocopheryl acetate, urea, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, mentha piperita (peppermint) extract, trehalose, carica papaya (papaya) fruit extract, sodium hyaluronate, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, persea gratissima (avocado) oil, olea europasea (olive) fruit oil, honey extract, punica granatum fruit extract, milk protein extract, salicylic acid, cyclopentasiloxane, cetearyl glucoside, polycrylate-13, polyisobutene, cetearyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, peg-100 stearate, polysorbate 20, polyglyceryl-3 methylglucose distearate, acrylates/c10-20 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, triethanolamine, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, propylparaben, fragrance

**Seriously, feet pictures coming up. Abort if you are squeamish!!**

Look Ma! I am a butterfly!!! 

These booties came still attached, thankfully. All I needed to do was tear it down the center along the perforate line. This is similar to the hand masks. A plastic outer shell with softer mesh inner shell and the essence between the two shells. 

The essence has a strong smell to it. When it first hit my nose, it was very floral, then it became chemical very quickly. I think it must be the alcohol. There wasn't too much essence floating in the mask, but just enough for it to stick to my feet. 

I just wish there was some tape to hold it. So the openings aren't wide open and I can't do anything besides sit with my feet planted to the ground. <- that is my number one reason why I don't do feet masks. I like to sit with cross legged since my legs are too short to reach the ground most of the time. 

I have size 6 feet, and you can see there's quite a bit of room left at the heel area. So I would imagine this would be good for anyone up to size 8 or 9??? 

Before the mask, you can see my feet are pretty dry, especially around the heel area. I don't like to moisturize my feet because the greasy lotion feeling grosses me out and makes me feel uncomfortable all night. Yes yes I know, I should moisturize anyways. I am trying to. Slowly.. 

I left the mask on for two hours since I figured my feet need that extra moisture. Despite having the openings wide open, the mask was still really moist afterwards. Don't forget to massage all those extra essence into your dry areas before taking your feet out.

I found my feet to be feeling moist moisturized. No necessarily softer, that needs more work than just a single use mask. But it felt moisturized and it didn't make my feet feel oily or anything. It did good enough work given what it has to work with. I am happy with the results.

That being said, I'll probably not repurchase this. I just don't like hands and feet masks that prevent me from moving around. I'll use them if I am gifted them but I won't go out of my way to buy them.