New Year, Stay Golden

If year 2014 until mid-2016 was all about lenses with thick limbal rings, by the end of 2016, I discovered a new style of lenses that its design could transform my look. *HINT: they got the most striking design I've ever seen.*

A little background story before I start the review. In the beginning, I thought this kind of hydrocor lenses would look very unnatural since they are designed with a very low opacity. However, I was wroooong! You will totally look different, but in a great way. It might took a while to finally get used with such lenses, just like how you get yourself (and people around you) used to see those thick limbal ring lenses when you aim for a dolly look. Hydrocor liven up your eye color, especially for people with dark brown eyes like me. 

My very first hydrocor lenses were all gray colored as I was too afraid to try the other options out there. Mainly because I wasn't sure if such light brown colored lenses would suit my skin tone too. The dilemma came to an end the time I eventually gave a shot and purchased hydrocor in brown. The result was unsatisfying, I didn't look as graceful as I did when I wore the gray ones since the rest of the brown colored ring exceeded the white part of my eye.  Lesson learned.

So when I saw Lens Village asked their ambassadors to review their newcomer line, which is Molicon Signature, I didn't hesitate at all and fell in love instantly with the golden one!

The lens itself is designed in tons of distinct dots, and the color of those dots fall somewhere in between green and brown. It's also been said that the result will vary depending on the real eye color of each person. You might be surprised at how radiant the colors are on your eyes, yet they nevertheless look natural. This pair of lenses also feels comfortable for daily usage. Well, it's not like I have zero problem wearing them indoor. There were some days when my eyes needed extra care, but as long as I'm able to rewet them with a lens drop, I'd be fine.

Face:

• Too Cool For School Rules Dual Cover BB Cream
• Etude House AC Clean Up Mild Concealer
• Rollover Reaction Sueded Lip & Cheek Cream in moss
• Etude House Play 101 Stick in #12
• Majolica Majorca Pressed Pore Cover Powder

Eye:

• Molicon Signature Hydrocor in golden
• The Body Shop Brow & Liner Kit in #3
• 3CE Longwear Tattoo Eyebrow Maker in ash brown
• Maybelline The Blushed Nudes
• Dolly Wink False Eyelashes in #23

Lips:

• BLP Beauty Lip Coat in lavender cream

Fall Liquid Lippies

Here comes the beginning of a new season. Like for real, Summer is over and it's time to say goodbye to my bright red and coral-toned hues lippies as I just purchased these babies to swipe on this Fall season.

 TheBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick and

Rollover Reaction Sueded Lip & Cheek Cream.

Ok, let's get into TheBalm first, it actually comes in 12 different shades and is described as long-wearing formula that has a comfortable matte finish. Meanwhile, Rollover Reaction is stated as two-in-one lip colour that doubles as a blush with velvet finish. Just recently they launched three new shades, which are all perfect for the Fall season seriously.

Onto the description as per usual.

The actual products.

I've heard lots of positive reviews on TheBalm's products, from their well-known blusher, bronzer, and highlighter kits to lip products. Long story short, I finally gave in and searched all over the Internet to find a trustworthy online reseller. Btw, we have the offline store in Jakarta, also Sephora Indonesia sells it online, but the price is outrageously more expensive, so bye. I was scared too that I'd get fake products (you know how tricky online shopping is), thus I devoted more time to investigate until I found an article that helped me to distinguish between the real and fake products. 

Whereas, Rollover Reaction is a local brand that's been selling out really well. Despite the heavy demand, I managed to land their products. My shopping experience was easy-peasy, the shipping was fast as it only took a day, and the package came in a very adorable pink box. Now... Let me reveal the initial local lip product that I wanted so badly. It was called Lip Coat that was created by a renowned Indonesian beauty blogger, Lizzie Parra. But... All of the shades that I've been eyeing sold like hotcakes. Reseller price is so much higher, ugh these opportunists, it's utterly disgusting how they make extra money! I'm not going to spend a single cent on their business. End of story.

Doe-foot applicators.

Swatches.

I think both shades flatter my skin tones differently. However particularly, I've received quite compliments every time I wear Moss. Performance wise, I kind of dislike Rollover Reaction's wand and patchy texture as I couldn't do my entire lips in just one pass. It might be because their formula isn't as lightweight as TheBalm, thus making the application a little hard to control. For Rollover Reaction, the finish falls somewhere between matte and creamy, while TheBalm dries down matte within seconds. Longevity wise, I couldn't be more content they last longer than my expectation. Even after my lunch, these lip colors are still pigmented! Now to the scent of it; both of these product have the similar sweet kind of smell. I think a mint chocolate ice cream really represents TheBalm's scent, whereas Rollover Reaction smells like a vanilla cupcake. 

In conclusion, as much as I wanted to shop just one more lip color, I've been so happy with these lippies and convinced myself that I'd NOT need another one throughout the season.

Have you found your go-to fall lippies?

 

White Milk

This is going to be one lengthy post as I will review not only one, but two latest products from 3 Concept Eyes as known as 3CE, a sub-brand by Stylenanda primarily focused on beauty. Luckily, I discovered this Korean cosmetics wholesaler who enables me to try out these particular 3CE products 'cause you know, they're not available locally in Jakarta.

3CE White Milk Pack To Foam & 3CE White Milk Sleeping Mask.

Can't we just scream for the cutest packaging ever done by 3CE?

Talk about details.

A hologram sticker attached to each packaging which symbolizes the originality of the brand.

Although 3CE is well-known for its sophisticated kinda design, this time they really prove their breakthrough in Korean market with their cutesy whitening products. Called as White Milk, their first skincare range focuses on skin whitening as if people are madly craving for a brighter skin. True that I'm one of those people who ain't satisfied with my uneven skin tone, and that's why I opt for a whitening product haha.. I have always had issues with my dull complexion, but I tried to be realistic that it takes effort and time as typical whitening products promise nothing instant. Hmm.. Unless their White Milk Cream, that one's supposed to be called a magic cream!

3CE White Milk Pack To Foam

Description: The milk and clay ingredients lift away the impurities deep inside the pores and keep your skin looking clean and clear. The product contains 10,000ppm milk protein and extraction that can remove excess sebum and the impurities deep inside the pores, promoting clean and clear looking skin. The moisture-retaining oatmeal and honey keep skin from drying out, while the tea tree extract helps soothe the skin.

Directions: This white clay mask contains fine particles of bubbles and can be used as both a facial pack and a cleanser.

Combat dead skin cells: Spread an ample amount over face avoiding the eye area. Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water. The rich lather lifts away impurities deep inside the pores. Use once or twice a week.
Refreshing Daily Cleanser: Apply to damp skin and massage in a gentle rolling motion. Work up a lather and rinse with lukewarm water.
Urgent Spot Treatment for the T-zone: Apply an ample amount over the oily T-zone and rinse after 5 minutes. The soft and rich cream throughly cleans those hard-to-reach areas in the T-zone.

My verdict: Let me explain about the unique packaging 3CE has come up with for this clay product. It feels like a toothpaste tube, but thinner. Supposedly, you'll be able to squeeze out until the last product. No more wasted product, plus hygienic! Also, the screw cap is just what I need for a facial foam since you're gonna put it in the shower and water usually just finds its own way to sneak into the cap, am I right? The consistency is creamy, it glides very easily, interestingly lathers up to foamy bubbles, and I can feel how hydrated my skin is afterwards. Though the texture is not as solid as clay, it hardens within minutes when it's applied to dry face. The rinsing process was effortless too, I'd just wash it off with water and wipe everything up. Overall, the after effect of using this as a facial foam or mask is almost the same. Therefore, considering this facial pack as a mask is such a fun regime while showering in the bathroom. Not to mention, it smells like powdered milk, which is a plus point!

3CE White Milk Sleeping Mask

Description: Non-sticky, creamy sleeping mask contains 50% of milk protein extract that moisturizes the skin and brightens complexion overnight. Tea tree extract treats blemishes and evens out overall skin tone while oatmeal and honey protects & strengthen skin's barrier.

Directions: Use in the evening. After cleansing and toning, apply adequate amount evenly over face avoiding lip and eye area. Sleep through the night with the mask on, gently wash off with lukewarm water in the morning.

My verdict: Though the weight and shape of the product is exactly the same with the facial foam, it doesn't come in aluminum tube but plastic. However, the scent of this product is somewhat similar to the facial foam, a powdered milk kind of, but more artificial. I use it at the last step of my nighttime skincare routine, every three-day period. The thick cream consistency remains sticky on the skin, especially oily on the T-zone. While it claims to brighten complexion overnight, I could barely notice any skin tone improvement the morning I woke up, seriously. Other than my face being extra moisturized and supple, I don't think it shows a significant result. But I'm happy that this hydrating sleeping mask doesn't break me out! It's hard to find one, you know. I guess that's due to the tea tree formula, yet amazingly, there is no a hint of herbal scent at all.

Price: USD 21.

Use my code T717MH2M8NU to get 8% discount at bbcosmetic.com. The discount code will only be valid within this month, so hurry fill up your cart!

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Woohoo! I'm beyond thrilled to present you a new look on my blog! Over the past few years, I've always wanted to revamp this blog because the previous template looked too dull no matter how much I tried to customize it. The decision of doing a total blog makeover was never easy. Not until recently, when I was in the middle of nothingness and suddenly had this random thought, "Why don't I purchase a pre-made template and give it a shot?" So I spent hours and hours browsing around Etsy, projecting if those particular themes would fit Oh Dear Bumblebees' image. Just so you know, before the idea of purchasing a template came up, I already browsed the freebies but not a single one I stumbled upon could impress me. I'm an extremely picky person when it comes to design because I know exactly what I want, and finding "the one" while staying within budget was challenging, indeed. Hope you enjoy scrolling down the page as much as I do!

Summer Cotton Skin

Hey, dear bumblebees! I'm so excited with some addition to my skincare as well as my makeup routine lately. I just can't wait to share, so stay tuned until I'm done trying them out! Two weeks ago, I received a package from bbcosmetic.com and was surprised when I found out they sent me this product for a review because I myself have never thought of using The Face Shop cushion before. To be honest though, my main motivation before purchasing a cushion is based on this particular factor; they must have a cute packaging. That's it. So now you know why. Haha! What a childish reasoning, but oh well... 

The Face Shop Oil Control Water Cushion.

Description: Perfect your makeup on the go with the Oil Control Water Cushion. Light foundation with a cushion applicator provides a matte finish for a flawless look. The finish of liquid foundation in a convenient compact size.

What it promises:

• Shine-free moisturizing cushion
• Controls sebum
• 4x denser Durable Microfoam
• Evenly dispenses product from first to last touch

Directions: At the final step of your skincare routine, apply all over the face in an even layer. Gently pat into skin with the palm of your hands for complete absorption.

Mine is in shade #21.

The cushion comes with a beige colored puff.

Well the end of summer is drawing near, but there is no such rules in changing the makeup game here. Jakarta has always been hot throughout the year and I feel like this cushion was given to me with thoughtful consideration. The Face Shop actually provides four different types of cushion makeup, in which the other three of them are intended for people with drier skin. I can say that I am glad bbcosmetic.com sent me this one instead of those other cushions.

The swatch on my skin.

Packaging wise, the case looks quite sturdy though it can get easily scratched. This actually happened several times, and I was sure there was no sharp object inside my makeup pouch, yet I found some scratches on the compact. Does this weird phenomena occur to you as well?

Moving on to the puff... Let me sigh for a moment as I want to question this. There are so many colors available in this whole universe, yes? So why does The Face Shop choose beige as their puff's surface color? I can never be sure how much foundation I pick up on this beige colored puff. But yes, it feels denser than any other cushion puff I've ever tried!

Although the finish is more matte than dewy, their shine-free promise might be a little too much 'cause I still need to blot my oily T-zone at midday. Durability is okay for me, however it does a great job at evening out skin tone and fading blemishes. The only issue is, the high SPF in this foundation leaves white cast on my skin, which is a no-go for a night occasion. Please note that the white residue looks noticeable too in daylight. Just make sure to turn off the flash if you're having your photo taken ;)

Price: USD 17.89

Use my code T717MH2M8NU to get 8% discount at bbcosmetic.com. Did I forget to mention the worldwide free shipping? The shipment was pretty fast too, I guess I only had to wait for a week or so, not to mention the abundant samples I received :P

Lily of The Valley

As someone who has a soft spot for exquisite packaging, this debut fragrance from Miu Miu had me at the first sight. I hadn't smelled the perfume, yet I fell in love instantly. You know, it's impossible to resist when the look of the bottle itself is already breathtaking! *pun intended*

Miu Miu Miu Miu Eau De Parfum.

Description: An elegant, sensual floral—lily of the valley—composed of real jasmine, real rose absolute, and synthetic green notes. The soft, fresh, ingénue scent is set against a deep earth-toned background: the wood and pepper of akigalawood, an extract of patchouli. The akigalawood adds a rich, brooding mystery to the subtle sparkle of the floral. The surprising combination feels natural and timeless—flower and earth—but the effect created by the multifaceted process is utterly contemporary.

Notes: Star Anise, Ginger, Green Lily of the Valley, Blooming Lily of the Valley, Jasmine Petal, Rose, Akigalawood, Sandal Wood, Nirvanolide.

Style: Feminine. Youthful. Sophisticated.

Ingredients.

The packaging, of course, too dainty to be true. I appreciate the beauty of ornamental fragrance bottles, simply because they could sublimely style the top of my vanity as well as any of Instagram #flatlays shots, don't you think so?

I adore the fancy scent of pure floral and warm woody tones, it's been my signature scent if anybody has noticed. Thanks to the jasmine and rose influence, this perfume smells so refreshing as if it is tailored to the summer season. And, is it only me? But I sense these subtly woody notes are tantalizing, creating such a seductive allurement which is delicately enrapturing. Last but not least, performance wise, it delivers a long-lasting floral hit onto the skin. 

Price: USD 88

On a side note, I got this new pair of circle lenses from Lens Village, a Malaysia-based K-lens distributor that carries more than 600 choices of circle lenses and ships worldwide. As someone who always plays on the safe side when it comes to appearance, I picked the brown ones but apparently the diameter of these lenses are way too big for my eyes, 0.5mm larger than my usual. It was my mistake to fail checking the details, I ended up looking too dolly and unnatural. Comfort wise, I don't like how they aren't stuck properly on the middle of my eyes sometimes. Sounds weird I know, perhaps it's caused by the huge diameter. Moreover, I don't think they come in the same exact color as their advertisement. On the display, obviously the brown shade somewhat appears to be bronze, whereas in real life it looks closer to chocolate brown.

Face:

• Missha M Magic Cushion in #23
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer
• Etude House Play 101 Stick Contour Duo
• Etude House Play 101 Stick in #12
• Innisfree No-Sebum Blur Powder

Eye:

• The Dolly Eye V1-25 in brown
• The Body Shop Brow & Liner Kit in #3
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
• Maybelline The Blushed Nudes
• Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara

Lips:

• Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in petal
• Revlon Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor in bare maximum
• 3CE Lip Color in love sick

Berry AHA!

Greetings, bumblebees! So if you have noticed, a few months ago I changed this blog header in pursuit of rebranding my beauty journal, while in actual fact I just couldn't commit to a specific topic and even talked about something else aside from beauty. Therefore, I sort of wanted to remake a new header without binding myself into a particular niche blog. You may now expect a fashion, lifestyle report or perhaps random chats from me! 

Here we go again to beauty related post, this time it's about a not-so-new-anymore toner from Etude House called Berry AHA! Bright Peel Boosting Serum. Phew.. What an eye-catching name! I think this was released earlier this year along with their Toning White C line in which I have zero interest with.

Etude House Berry AHA! Bright Peel Boosting Serum.

Description: The first-step peeling essence for skincare removes dead skin cells and impurity residue daily.

Directions: After washing the face, at the first step of skincare, dispense an appropriate amount on a cotton pad and apply on the face in the direction of skin texture, starting from the inside and working outward in a gentle blotting motion.

My question was "is it toner, is it serum?" when I first saw this product (I didn't know their description in the beginning). Obviously it's called serum but it looks too watery from the outside, yes? We know that toner is the first step, meanwhile serum is supposed to be used at the last step of your skincare routine. Thanks to Google, uh I mean Etude House website (or should I say my meticulous research before purchasing every skincare item?), I bought the right product for my need.

Click here to zoom.

I've always had a thing with AHA ingredients simply because it's known to be great at rejuvenating. The only downside of wearing AHA is that your skin can get extra sensitive to sunlight, thus a sunscreen is a must (thought it's always a must all the time). This boosting serum has salicylic acid too in it! That seriously surprised me because I was presuming this line would only concern at peeling or brightening the skin.

Packaging wise, it's kind of sleek despite its name. Moreover, considering it comes from Etude House who always gives such cutesy atmosphere to their product, I think this one maybe intended for more matured target market. Haha.. I might be wrong too. Anyway, I like how secured the seal (picture below), so bravo Etude House for the consideration. I still remember their Wonder Pore toner didn't include such seal to prevent leakage. However, the outlet of this bottle is too small for the product to come off. Because texture wise, it's not as watery as usual toner (now the name boosting serum makes sense). The liquid is thicker than water, it seems like it contains a teeny tiny jelly-like substance.

Nice security seal you got over there.

Scent wise, it smells fruity with minty tinge. It doesn't only feel sweet but refreshing. I don't know how bilberry fruit's supposed to smell, but it definitely has the kind of smell that doesn't bother me at all. Performance wise, as a toner, I can say I was impressed for the immediate effect. It moisturizes my skin and on top of that, it gives me this silicone effect, you know? Yeah, they do use a synthetic skin conditioning agent and surfactant belonging to the chemical class of siloxanes and silicones. No wonder the instantly smooth skin. However, the good thing, it doesn't break me out.

In conclusion, I might finish it all since I totally enjoy the immediate result. Umm.. But you know me, when it comes to cosmetics, I always want to explore, try new things, and whatnot. That's why I'm here for you guys ;) To review more and more exciting products!

Price: IDR 210k

When Brown Meets Cushion

Time passes so quickly... Now that Spring season is coming, I seriously can't wait to have myself dressed in pastel colors and see all those flowers in full bloom. Speaking of pastels, I made my first guest post just a week ago at Steph's blog, check it out to see my stylebook to welcome Spring :D

Back to the true purpose of this blogpost. I'm about to review another cute thing from the K-beauty world. It's just recently released in South Korea, a product collaboration between Missha and Line Friends. I have to admit that Koreans are expert in creating cute design when it comes to cosmetics. In the end, they're successfully making all the K-beauty junkies difficult to refuse such impulsive buying. It's like they know the market so well! This Missha x Line Friends are sold out everywhere and surely it takes effort to get this (especially when I'm an Indonesian based blogger). So here you go!

Missha M Magic Cushion Line Friends Edition.

Description: Magic cushion with perfect coverage to help achieve flawless skin and long lasting makeup without darkening. Micro cover pigment delivers flawless coverage to skin and silica-bead powder effectively absorbs sweat and sebum, leaving makeup last longer with sun protection benefits with SPF50+/PA+++.

What it promises:

• Perfect coverage
• Long-wearing
• Lightweight
• Smooth, dewy finish

Got myself shade #23.

There are actually two versions of this cushion, I got myself the Brown one, M Magic Cushion which is made for oily-combination skin, whereas the other one, Sally in M Magic Cushion Moisture is made for people with dry skin. My skin type is oily on the T-zone area and normal on the other part. Moreover, I like Brown more than Sally. Even if this Brown edition is marketed for people with dry skin, I would still buy it. Sorry, Sally... T^T If there's a hierarchy, I'd put Jessica on the first place (because she is so me), Cony on the second place, Brown on the third place, then Sally and their other friends (Moon, Leonard or Edward doesn't matter).

The first edition came with 2 refills with no extra puff, so I'll either buy a new puff later or just wash it regularly with my Etude House Puff & Brush Cleaning Mist. However, Missha has changed the bundle, so if you order now you'll get 1 refill and 1 extra puff instead, but with the same price! *sigh*

Brown face all over the packaging, super adorable!

Told ya I'm a fool for cute packaging. Anyway, despite the cute design and being a Line Friends' fan, I find the packaging and the puff are not in the greatest quality. I haven't seen the original M Magic Cushion in person, but based on the photo, it must feel like the Laneige one? This Brown edition looks so plastic and also feels like plastic, which can be also a good point because it's not as heavy as my Laneige BB Cushion. Hence, those who want to have a more elegant look while touching up, might not like this. Obviously people who would buy this are either a fan of Line Friends or just adore anything cute. I guess, so?

The swatch on my skin.

I was confused whether to get myself shade #21 or #23 because I've always been using shade #21 in my whole life, but based on the YouTube reviews I saw, #21 looks too pale! Then I asked the reseller which one should I get if I normally use #21 for Laneige BB cushion, they replied Missha shade is a bit lighter and #23 would be right for me. I trusted them and seriously loved the result. I have been using this cushion for a week and will definitely bring this to the States because the coverage and oil control is just great. Though I'll be bringing my Laneige too just in case the weather is still cold.

All in all, for people with oily combination skin like me and live in such humid climate, I think they will like this version more than the M Magic Cushion Moisture one. Besides, it still gives me that semi-matte finish, not dewy as it promises, but fairly glowing looking, I suppose.

Anyway, if you're interested to buy this cushion and live in Indonesia, just feel free to email me and I'd recommend you the reseller, they're so kind to me and also trustworthy. I bought their Eye Color Studio Mini Line Friends Edition too as a gift for my friend and personally asked them to wrap it neatly for me, and they really did it without hesitation. Have I mentioned I'd appreciate it when people want to go extra mile for their customers?

Price: IDR 249k

The Wonders of Tea Tree Water

[Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received the product for a review purpose, but the opinions are my own based on my experience.]

Benton Honest TT Mist.

Description: Benton Honest TT Mist is made of tea tree water instead of water. This mist contains hyaluronic acid and various beauty ingredients to help improve your rough and damaged skin from stress and pollution with moisturizing and cooling effect.

Directions: When you spray to your skin directly, spray about 30cm distances and then softly pat your face to help your skin to absorb the product. You can use your palm or cotton pad.

Further information about ingredients and warning.

If you haven't already read my review on the other Benton Honest skincare, you might probably wonder why I use Benton as I was reluctant about the brand before. Anyway, I've been quite interested in this product as I need something that can moisturize my skin without making it oily. Talk about balance! Especially when my skin is a bit oily on the T-zone.

This Honest TT Mist actually claims that it can benefit all skin type, such as problematic skin, dry/ oily skin, and even sensitive skin. With tea tree plant as the main ingredient, we all know how great the healing power tea tree has, which makes it a popular natural acne treatment ingredient. I personally had a bad experience using tea tree oil back then in junior school, my hormonal acne became even worse after religiously applying tea tree oil from The Body Shop to my affected skin. That what made me think twice to try this, but a girl gotta do what a girl gotta do. Skincare is all about trial and error!

Glossy plastic tube.

The spray nozzle.

Packaging wise, I like the fact it doesn't come in a can bottle and the small size is perfect for traveling. The water that comes from the nozzle supposed to be fine mist, but in real life, it's a bit too harsh. I mean if you compare it to Avène Eau Thermale Spring Water, that's how a fine mist should've appeared. They claim about 250 times sprays usage. I've been using this product since January every day and night, and do around 5 sprays each usage, now it still have maybe like 8ml left on the tube.

Scent wise, it has no scent! How surprising. I was expecting something herbal but there's none and I seriously love it. Imagine how weird it would be to spray something scented to your face! Well, I do smell something a very tiny bit that I can't even explain what it is, but I'm sure it's nothing like perfume. Which in the end, makes me really believe there's no added fragrance in this product.

Performance wise, the texture is like water, and I spray it directly to my face, then pat it with my palms. I use it as my secondary toner, my current primary toner is from The Face Shop Jeju Volcanic Lava (which is a nice product, however I'm not going to repurchase). The mist feels soothing on skin and also hydrating at the same time, another great thing is, it keeps my acne at bay *greatest feeling ever* ^^

All in all, although the spray packaging kind of disappoints me, the product works like wonder. I'm absolutely going to repurchase it, because mine is going to run out soon! You can get yours at Jolse.

Price: USD 8.48

P.S: Have you joined my Pre-Spring giveaway? This time, I'm collaborating with Firmoo giving away a pair of sunglasses of your choice. Other than that, there are also 5 $10 vouchers. Hurry go check it out :P

Fresh Start

It's a new year! Hope that everyone's had a wonderful start to 2016. As I want to stick to one of my new year's resolutions which is "Less makeup, more skincare." I've started to change my skincare routine and found this rave on the market, it is from Benton. Yes, when we're talking about Benton, it's not going to be easy since there are mixed reviews and so on. Please rest assured that this post is not a sponsored review at all. I bought the product with my own money and conscience after loads of researching.

I was very skeptical about this brand before, until one day, Alice of W2Beauty personally convinced me to try the samples, I believe it was the Aloe BHA Skin Toner if I'm not mistaken. She explained about Benton background issue and the company's solution to the trouble occurred. So after the reconsideration, I tried their samples, and I was beyond glad I didn't get weird reaction. I mean, my skin was just fine. I'm thankful that Alice contacted me, because if she didn't do that I'm pretty sure I wouldn't test Benton product, not even a single of it. I myself was too biased towards the bad reviews.

This is just my story, to be honest though, skincare is about trial and error in a battlefield. I don't want to jinx, but my skin has been reacting so far so great. This cleansing foam is not the only fighter, I get facial every month, I have my own at-home spa as a little treat to myself at least every twice a week. It wasn't easy nor inexpensive. But at the end, the effort feels super worth it.

Benton Honest Cleansing Foam.

Description: In order to have a healthy face wash, Benton Honest Cleansing Foam cleanses fatigued skin caused by various stress and pollution. This natural cleansing foam not only cleanses your face but further moisturizes your skin to minimize dryness of your skin.

Further information about ingredients and warning.

With a lot of research before buying this product, there were too many mixed reviews about it and somehow made me wonder if it's worth the gambling. Last year there was a hype called "Low pH Cleanser", as if it's a big deal you should get a low pH one in order to avoid dehydration of the skin. 

While I'm already familiar with products that claim "pH balanced" for the skin, I was confused if the low pH ones would do good. Apparently, there's no big difference in using low pH cleanser since it will disrupt our skin acid mantle just as higher pH cleanser will. The surprising fact is, low pH cleanser may consist more chemicals, because it 'needs' chemical to be mixed into the formulation so that the product reaches the desired pH level. Moreover, it's not the pH level that matters, but the ingredients after all. The point is, your skin don't get irritated simply because the pH level is too acidic or too alkaline.

I don't own an at-home pH testing kit, but based on my research, this cleansing foam ranges around 8. It only use natural surfactants that are extracted from palm oil, also consists no harmful ingredients. The product is meant for secondary cleansing, so don't expect it can break down waterproof properties such as tinted eyebrow gel. LOL. Besides, it's 2016, double cleanse, will ya?

Thanks Benton for providing the details in English.

Pearly white cream with non-addition of chemical coloring.

My skin is oily combination, oily T-zone and normal on the rest to be exact. Just so you know, I'm the type of person who dislikes it when my skin feels tight or overly moisturized after washing off. This cleansing foam leaves the kind of feeling in between that, feels so right. It makes my skin squeaky clean without stripping my skin at all. The foam lathers easily too! Thrice a week on the day I wear heavier makeup, I'd wash my face with Pobling Premium Pore Sonic Cleanser, letting all the stubborn excess makeup and dead skin come out.

Scent wise, it smells soapy. At first I needed to get used because my recent one smelt so different (I used up two Holika Holika Volcanic Pore Purifying Deep Cleansing Foam, which was an amazing record for someone like me). I've been considering to use this Honest Cleansing Foam in the long run too. That may difficult for someone who gets bored easily and always tends to explore new stuffs out there. However, if the cleanser will continue doing good to my skin just like now, I think I'll have to stop with the gambling game.

Price: IDR 130k

I've been seriously committed to my new year's resolution. As I said earlier, I'll reduce my expense on my makeup. Not that I'm not enjoying makeup, I just want to have a better canvas, meaning a smooth healthy skin so that my makeup would look more flawless and of course, I'm a sucker for "natural look, but not really". LOL.

Here is my go-to minimal makeup, which is super easy to create. Did I say I've been indulging cream texture makeup lately? I'm giving a special shoutout to Etude House Play 101 Stick. It gives glow to the skin, comes in handy (no pun intended) yet doesn't break me out.

Face:

• Laneige BB Cushion in natural beige
• Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer
• Etude House Play 101 Stick Contour Duo
• Etude House Play 101 Stick in #12
• Holika Holika Sweet Cotton Pore Cover Powder

Eyes:

• EOS Rainshower in gray
• The Face Shop Designing Eyebrow in gray brown
• Koji Spring Heart Eyeshadow in mocha
• Innisfree Eco Gel Eyeliner in brown

Lips:

• Peripera Peri's Tint Water in pink juice
• Peripera Peri's Tint Milk in milky pink

Lucky Holiday

Merry Christmas, dear bumblebees! Perhaps if you haven't heard, I'm currently holding a mini giveaway. Go click the link because the deadline is only a couple of days away :P So now the festive season is here, you know I can't help but getting myself a treat of limited edition thingy such as this BB cushion from Laneige. It's my second BB cushion after purchasing Too Cool For School Dinoplatz U.F.O Multibox that was actually a spontaneous buying because back than I should've bought their Sparkling Party edition. Anyway, I'm finally trying this out!

Laneige BB Cushion Lucky Holiday Edition.

Description: A new concept cushion-type BB with five active ingredients for whitening + sunscreen + sweat-proof + soothing + makeup contained in the cushion to maximize the refreshing and soothing sensation.

As expected from Laneige, sleek design on the outside yet informative in the inside.

I bought the #21 in natural beige, I noticed there is another #21 shade called pink beige and though I have neutral undertone, I just don't want to risk it. Yup.. Talking about playing on the safe side. Then, moving on to the packaging, I like this year's holiday collection compared to their PLAYNOMORE or pushBUTTON collaboration. The design is not as simple as Sparkling Party nor the original. It has clubs pattern in red and transparent with accent of gold that adds classy impression I suppose. The mirror inside is very useful too, especially when my touchup time reaching.

Excellent theme for year-end holiday.

Based on the leaflet, the puff that comes altogether with the BB cushion is designed to deliver refreshing cooling sensation as it absorbs moisture less than ordinary puff. Usually I press down the cushion two times to get the desirable amount, application is quick because it blends right away as I repeatedly pat the puff on my face. Although I might have to disagree with the statement it has cooling sensation.

The swatch on my skin.

This BB cushion somehow has similar scent to Tony Moly BCDation that makes me wonder, do they belong in the same parent company? Apparently Tony Moly isn't under AmorePacific corporation. The scent has a hint of floral and powder, but nothing too exaggerated.

I'm glad I picked this shade as it compliments my skin tone once it oxidizes. True that it leaves white cast because of its SPF 50 PA+++, but I'll be neutral here because on the other hand, I need high SPF in my life. If it's going to be a picture day, I'd rather grab my Bourjois foundation. It has dewy finish and one notable thing is it might be leaving sticky feeling, but putting on translucent powder will do the trick. Coverage wise, it can cover some spots, therefore evens out my skin tone. I like how it brighten my complexion, plus it's also sweat-proof! I once tested it during my gym session which included 30 minutes treadmill and cycling, and all I could see my complexion was still fab. LOL.

Frankly speaking, the only downside of having a cushion is that I need to invest either time or money on the puff. If you think washing a beauty blender is a pain in the neck, wait until you meet a cushion puff like this ;)

Price: KRW 37,000