Etude House Skincare Haul

Hi Sweeties!

I've been thinking a lot about ageing lately, and I figured that it's about time that I started properly taking care of my skin.
I always seemed to try to keep a routine going, but always seem to fail for whatever reason.

I noticed that www.Etudehouse.com  just so happened to have an offer on a skincare bundle, and as a late Birthday present from me-to-me, I snapped one right up!

The bundle on special offer cost $50, which I think at the time was around £35, with free delivery.
It arrived within 2 weeks of ordering, although sadly I got hit by the customs demons, which was another £15 T_T so that means I didn't get as much of a deal as I had thought (this was the first time I've ever had a customs charge from anywhere) 

I am a massive EtudeHouse & genereal Korean cosmetic and skin care fan, as I really think they're the leaders atm for this, so I was super glad to get this delivery.

Here's what I picked up:

It's quite a good haul, right? There's only 1 thing that I feel is missing, and that's a good cleanser like their Baking Powder one (which I love but am running out of my current one)

Lets have a little look at them individually!

Wonder Pore Freshner

Wonder Pore Freshner is a toner product that boasts a 10 in 1 effect to deep cleanse, restore ph balance, even skin tone, aid elasticity, reduce pore size, control sebum, smooth skin texture etc.
( you get the idea, right?)

I've been using this twice a day since I got it, and I really like it! It's a little alcohol-ly in smell, but quite fresh, and has a a thin, watery consistency, which I also really like in a toner.
 You apply some to a cotton pad, and wipe from the middle of your face outwards to work effectively.

I found that it does take off more of the underlying dirt/grime that I had thought that I'd cleansed off! My skin does feel in better condition and is a lot less oily that it was! (I have combination-oily skin due to the contraceptive injection that plays havoc with my hormones at the moment) 

This really works well for me, though if you have a sensitive skin type, then the alcohol content probably isn't for you. 

Be Moistfull Collagen Cream

Ok, so this is something that I've had my eye on for a while!
The Moistfull Collagen Cream is a collagen infused moisturiser that's supposed to keep you looking youthful with a smooth and elastic skin. (Idk if that makes much grammatical sense, but hopefully it does!)

It's actually a pretty big tub, and comes with a little spatula to stop you dipping your fingers into the tub - pretty handy!
Again, this is something that I've been using since the day I got it, and find that my skin is smoother and more even in texture. You really only need a small amount of this, since it spreads a lot! I imagine that it'll take me a while to finish it! 

Face Blur

This is a primer type product, that gives you a photoshopped look - "blurring your skin" to it looks smooth and flawless.

It also has a built in brightener/whitener, that stops you looking so tired.

This is also a great product for me; I like to use a little of it on its own after moisturising to even my tone out then run off to work. The danger of applying too much is that I look liker a bit of a ghost - so unless it's going under makeup, I need to be kinda careful!

 Missing You Hand Cream

 

This is a super adorable Peach scented hand cream in a Panda shaped case!
I haven't tried this yet as I'm still getting through my current one, but it looks so cute!

Face Masks

I got 6 different types of face mask to try out with this bundle, and I'm quite excited to get a night off to treat myself to one of them!

They all have different properties, but the one I'm most interested in is the Snail mask - I've been hearing a lot about snails for skincare, so looking forward to seeing if it works!

Lipstalk Lipstick - Beige

I finally got another Dead My Wish Lipstick! This time I got one that's described as "beige" though I'm not really convinced it is beige - it has a slightly pinky tone to it, which I absolutely love, and as usual it glides on perfectly!

I wore this for my Valentines day look, which I'll be posting about soon, so please stay tuned for that!

Play 101 Pencil - 1 Black

 So to finish, I got another Play 101 pencil in Black - yay! I really love these things - for those of you that don't know, these pencils are super versatile! They can be used as eyeliner, eyeshadow, lip liner, lipstick, blush etc and come in around 50 different colours and shades - super useful, right?
They also blend really well and create some lovely effects.

I'm definitely going to be using these a lot more to create more smokey looks as I feel like I've been really lazy with makeup over the past while.


So this is everything that I got - again I totally wish that there was a cleanser with this, esp as I'm running low on my current one, but this is great value for money, and the Etude global site always has offers on, some of which are not to be missed.

So if you're looking to test out some Korean skincare and makeup, I'd definitely suggest you check them out!
If you have used these products before, what do you think of them? Let me know below!
Love,

           Kasumi x

Lens Village Review - Gothic 3 Tones, EOS DollyEye Circle Lenses

Hi Sweethearts,

Hope you're all doing well!

I have a couple of things that I'm itching to post about, the first of which is a review of some new lenses that I got through last week from www.lensvillage.com
I've been looking for a more natural set of Circle lenses that will enhance my eyes, as I want to have a more mature, Onee-gyaru style going on. Big, cute colourful lenses just wouldn't work for that, as much as I adore them.

After a lot of browsing the LensVillage store, I finally settled on Gothic 3 Tones, from EOS - DollyEye, in Blue, to add a little extra oomph to my natural eye colour.

After ordering, the lenses arrived in just over a week, which is great considering that they're coming from Asia.

How they arrived:

Once again, my lenses came in perfect condition with a little card and super cute animal lens case to keep them in. They arrived securely wrapped in bubble wrap to avoid any bumps or damage in the post - but I haven't taken a photo this time round of that, though you can see this on my last lens village review here!

This is what the lenses look like in the case. Admittedly, they're not as bright as the stock image (unworn), but the real images of them on the site below were a perfect match to what I received - I'm happy that they aren't as bright as the stock type image, as they wouldn't look as nice that way.

Here are the specs for them:

Power Available : 0.00 to -10.00

Price: £14.60 (pair)

Life Span : 1 Year

Diameter : 14.5mm

Manufacturer : EOS

Origin : South Korea

Lenses is manufactured by EOS and labelled under DollyEye. 

They come in a choice of 9 different colours - that's really great news, as I'd like to try out a different colour of them too.
   Price wise, they're also very reasonable, considering that they can last up to a year if properly taken care of, and my monthly prescription lenses from the opticians are £15 per month! 

Here is a little selfie of my natural eyes before putting the lenses in! 

Putting the lenses in: 

I found these lenses to be really delicate and soft, which is great for me as they were super easy to put in and really comfortable to wear once the initial annoyance of poking myself in the eye was over with.
 I wore these all day (8hours) without any issues, so I'm very happy with that.

I also love the subtle difference that they make to my eyes - they're very natural and not "in your face" circle lenses, so these aren't for you if you want a massive change.

Here are my eyes & lenses in different situations: 

As you can see, they give a slight enlarging effect, but without the hard black ring around the edge, so they look a lot more natural and, for me, grown up.

I really like the subtle colour boost that comes from them - they have that "pop" without being overdone and I really love that.
These are the type of lenses I'm more comfortable wearing on a more regular basis, and with my Onee-Gyaru style, which I feel suits me a lot better.

Here are a few pics with the lenses in: 

...and a little picture of todays' outfit!

Dress: Primark (I got it on sale for £5)
Belt: Primark (came with another dress)
Jewellery set: Primark (£4)

Overall Verdict:

Look: 4/5 (only because the stock photo showed brighter, in reality they're pretty perfect)
Fit: 5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Service: 5/5

I really like these lenses for more subtle looks, and will be wearing them regularly, though I'm very tempted to try the other colours in this range!


So, what do you all think?  Do you prefer the more natural look circle lenses, or the really dolly, cute type?

Have you used these lenses before - let me know in the comments below!

Love, Kasumi x

Hair Transformation time - my first time getting extensions!

Hi Sweethearts,

So, this week I really wanted to chat about my latest transformation: My hair makeover.

Ever since I first went back to basics with my hair colour, I've felt increasingly upset and unhappy about it - sadly, it ruined my self confidence.
Gone are the funky, bright, fun coloured looks, and instead I feel like I've been fading into the background...and my bpd traits don't like it when I'm not in the spotlight (despite hating the spotlight at the same time, it's a strange cycle.) 
So I finally bit the bullet and went for a hair overhaul!

Sadly I can't risk bleaching my hair again, so I decided to finally give into temptation and get some extensions from the lovely Bracken at Candy Locks. (Click here to go to her page)


How my hair looked before (and a outfit pic) : 

Cardigan: Ebay
Top, belt & shoes: Primark
Jeans: New look

What Type of Extensions did I get?
After my initial consultation, I got 18inch long Keratin bond extensions as my hair is fine, in 2 shades of reddy-brown.

These Extensions are UK-based, Beautyworks Celebrity Choice bonds, and should last up to 6months, provided I take good care of them (which I will, I absolutely adore them!) 

Here are a couple of in-progress shots of the bonds being installed. Having them installed was completely painless (for some reason, I had expected it to hurt) & they don't show through my own hair at all.

 As you can see, I couldn't help taking pictures as I was so excited to finally have the long, thick locks that I've been lusting after for years!

Finished Results: 

I took a little picture of them when they were first installed and all straight, as I knew instantly I wanted to have them curled or in waves for the duration of the time I have them in.

Please ignore my fringe here, as the style part hadn't happened yet! 

Now for some pictures of my amazingly lovely princess locks all styled up! 

Pros & Cons: 

Pros: 

• Long, thick, lovely locks
• Easy to style & holds curls/waves well without hairspray
• Lasts a good amount of time (usually the same amount of time it takes me to get bored of something) 
• Painless installation
• Blends well with own hair
• Massive confidence booster for me
• Silky smooth feeling

Cons:

• I'll miss them when they're gone
• Requires proper aftercare/maintenance to keep them looking lovely
• A bit tender to sleep on to begin with due to being new
• Not for those on a tight budget as it's a pretty big investment. 

Final Verdict:

I think we all know what I'm going to say here - I'm absolutely besotted with my new locks, and can't thank Bracken enough for doing them for me!


Love,
          Kasumi 

Etude House - Dr. Ampoule Review (Lifting Care)

Hi Sweethearts,

Sorry that this weeks' post is a little late, I'm been rushed off my feet at the moment! >.<

After rushing around, I felt like I was definitely in need of some "me-time" and so I decided to kick back and relax with the Etude House Dr. Ampoule facemask - lifting care.

Little bit about this:

This is from the Korean Brand Etude House (http://www.etudehouse.com) that I absolutely adore, from their Dr. Ampoule range of mask sheets.

These come in a few different types, such as brightening, time , essential, vital, and the one I'm trying out: Lifting care.
 This mask sheet is said to make your skin firmer and more youthful, with the concentrated ampoules, it's supposed to be super effective.

These can be bought on etudehouse.com for $3.50 each, which at the moment is around £2.23 - so these aren't bank breaking at all! 

Here is my before face - (apologies for the super tired, "I need a break" look) >.<

How to use the mask: 

Ok, so this is a 2 step face mask, which is something that I've never experienced before but fun to try out!

STEP 1: The first step is to open & apply part 1, which is the lifting ampoule. This has quite a gel-like texture, and absorbs quite quickly into your skin to do it's job effectively.

Not too sure how well you'll see this in the picture, but I have just applied the ampoule. 

STEP 2: The second step is to apply the mask sheet (part 2) onto your face, having just applied the ampoule in step 1.

The Mask sheet fitted my face pretty ok, considering that this is a Korean product and my face shape is different to Korean Facial structure, I was quite happy with the fit.

The mask sheet was packed full of product, it was pretty slippery to unfold but I'd much rather lots of product instead of too little - because of this, it adhered really well!
It also had a lovely fresh, clean scent to it, that helped wake me up a little bit.

Result: 

So, after 20mins (pack suggests 15-20) chill time on my sofa, it was time to take the mask sheet off.
 Unlike other masks, the instructions on this told me not to remove the excess product, but instead leave it to soak into my skin.

This is how my face looks afterwards.

(Please excuse my hair, it's currently undergoing a change which I'll be blogging about next week.)

I don't know how much of a physical difference you can see, but there definitely is a little bit from the first time application.
My skin does feel firmer and tighter, which I'm really pleased about, and I had no issues or reactions at all with the ingredients

It's definitely a product that I'm going to use again, and I'd also like to test out the other masks in Dr. Ampoule range.


Have any of you used these masks? What did you think?
What type of masks do you like to use?

As usual, leave me comments below!

Love,

           Kasumi x

Poundland brand bargains [makeup haul]

 Hi Sweethearts,

This week I wanna let you in on some super nice bargains that I got whilst visiting my local Poundland.

I took a break from work as my back was starting to give me some problems, and ventured off to Poundland in search of some heat packs to stick to my back.
  As usual the shop was pretty busy, so had to try and wade through the vast crowds of people - but eventually had to just stand and wait (people have a lovely habit of taking up the ENTIRE isle... sheesh.) so I figured I'd just look at the makeup/beauty products around me whilst I wait to get through.

On looking, I quickly noticed some pretty good bargains and couldn't resist picking them up to blog about!

The Haul:

Sooooo....you can see the brands that I've managed to get, all for £1 each!!! How good is that?!?!!

Lets' look a bit closer!

Rimmel Colour Rush colour lip balm shade: 610 Sun-Kissed

RRP: £5.99

If you didn't already guess, I love lip colours at the minute!

This is a lovely warm pinky/orangey/corally type colour in handy pencil form for easy application, and it smells like vanilla! I've tried this already, and it lasts pretty well, and keeps my lips feeling moist and plump.
These come in 14 different shades, however in poundland you'll only have a choice of a couple of shades of each thing. Slightly disappointing, but if the colours they have match you then you're laughing.

Barry M Supersoft Eye Crayon,  Shade: 9 Matt Pink
RRP: £3.99

This is a jumbo eye pencil in a matt pink shade. Like the label says, it is a supersoft formula, and like  Barry M products, it's highly pigmented, for thick bold colour.

The consistency is lovely and thick, and the colour is adorable, however, I find this rubs off pretty easily (on my hand anyway - one smudge with my finger and it was gone), so I'll use this as a base to press another shadow on top.
 I think I could have some fun and get creative with this.

Barry M Dazzle Dust, shade: 1 Ice Pink

Barry M Dazzle Dust, shade: 96 Gold
RRP: £4.59

Ok! Here we have a couple of the Dazzle Dust colours.
 There's a few different ones in Poundland, but these 2 are the ones that stood out the most for me.

I've always liked these as they're super pigmented, lovely shades that give a nice effect. I generally don't buy these unless I get a bargain such as this, as I find that Barry M can be out of my budget beauty price range (aka, as cheap as I can find, but still good) 

Barry M Eyeshadow Trio Shade: Tes2 Pretty Pastels
RRP: £5.99

I couldn't resist picking up this cute pastel coloured eyeshadow trio!

I think I've had a bit of a pink makeup theme in this haul, though everything can work in together to create some cute and cool looks!

There are other versions with different colours available, I think I spotted a more marine type palette which looked pretty sweet. This comes with a double ended shadow applicator. On one side, a (dreaded) sponge tip applicator, then a brush on the other side.
 I generally don't use the brushes that come with the palettes as I prefer to use my own, but this one is o-k. Definitely better than the w7 palette brush, but still not terribly great, but heyho.

Cost & Savings:

Time for a little bit of maths (I hate maths, so bear with me) 

Adding the RRP of each item together, comes to £25.15

Take away the £5 that I paid in total for all of these, (£1 each) and that gives me a total saving of £20.15!!! 
How good is that?!??

Final thoughts:

I definitely suggest that you all take yourselves on a little trip to your local poundland to see what they have in store for you!

If you have been recently, what did you buy? Did you get some great bargains too?

Let me know in the comments below!

Love,
           Kasumi x