THEHUNTYBOX: May 2016

Summer feels like it’s around the corner today as we have a spurt of lovely warm weather today. I hope it’ll be as nice for the weekend as I’m away for it.

As the weather starts to warm up you’ll start worrying about lighter coverage, more sun protection, a light wearing moisturizer, etc…. This is where play creams come into my beauty world. My skin is dry in the Winter but tends to get a bit oily in the Summer so I like a light wearing moisturizer preferably one that has a decent SPF if possible.

If you shop the Asian beauty world you’ll come across quite a good deal of “play” creams that offer lighter moisturizing effects, plus SPF, and act as a base for your makeup.

Recently, a reader e-mailed me and asked had I tried the Tony Moly “ice cream” range and I had to sit and scratch my head for a second….what she actually meant was the Ice Queen Collection. Easy mistake considering the products are all packaged up like a scoop of your favorite ice cream and topping!

And yes, I have. I got these when I first saw them pop up on Sasa a while back ago, believe it was before the Holidays. Sasa still has them in stock by the way and close to retail price too!

As per her request I’ll be reviewing these for you and starting off today with the Tony Moly Ice Queen Multi Play Cream SPF 30, one of the nicer play creams I’ve tried from Korea by the way and not only for the cute packaging either!

Jump!

A moisturizer, SPF, and facial prime all in one wonder aka a “play” cream.

Cute isn’t it? It comes packaged and shaped like a single scoop sundae. Don’t let the cuteness fool you the actual product inside is an excellent multitasker.

This little cream offers a great way to prep skin for makeup while moisturizing your face with a very lightweight formula that absorbs easily and the added benefit of SPF 30. Pretty nifty having one product that performs three functions eh?

For example today I left behind my normally richer moisturizer and my regular primer plus my SPF and just used some of this. It absorbs super easily into my skin, leaves behind a nice hydrating finish, eases the way for my BB Cream (foundation), and proceeds to protect me from the sun. Simple, easy makeup!

If you’re a minimal product user and prefer your moisturizer to have SPF built in this is an ideal solution for you.

The formula has a whipped consistency and a berry ice cream-like scent which is very pleasant. The formula feels and looks like an SPF but it absorbs far easier into the skin than an SPF would and doesn’t leave behind a white cast. If you have oily skin it should work fine at offering moisture without making you more oily or greasy. Those with dry skin might need something a little stronger however on minimal or warmer days this is a perfect treat for skin.

Used as a base it won’t conceal larger pores or fine lines but it will however ease the way for foundation and allow for a smoother application.

It’s easy enough to track down online at Sasa and very reasonably priced however airmail shipping does take a while if you’re an instant gratification kinda girl you’ll have to learn a little patience.

Anyone who wears minimal product (this acts as an all in one).
Anyone who needs sun protection but doesn’t want a heavier, greasier product on top of their moisturizer (this will act as your SPF and your moisturizer making for a lighter experience).
Anyone who’d rather deal with one product instead of two or three!

Those who aren’t keen on online shopping, airmail costs, etc…(This is a Korean product not available in US shops).

Tony Moly Ice Queen Multi Play Cream is one of the best play creams I’ve had the pleasure of using. It’ll make an idea little pick for Summer wearing when I want to do away with many of the products I currently use on my face. After all who wants to use two or three different things on their face when they can use one?

Loves it!

Muse Approved for purchase and a mere $16 at www.SHOPEE.com

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Tony Moly Panda’s Dream White Magic Cream is a brightening makeup/cream base that eases the appearance of redness, dark spots, and dullness. I was excited about this because it quite reminded me ofTony Moly Ice Queen Multi Play Cream SPF 30 which I really loved! This just seems a new version of it but with new packaging…!

Unfortunately that wasn’t the case.

As you can see Tony Moly Panda’s Dream White Magic Cream comes in an adorable chubby panda shaped container! One of the appealing aspects of the cream is most definitely the cuter packaging! Multi Play Cream had cute packaging as well with a far superior formula.

Like Multi Play Cream this is richer, whipped up consistency cream….I wouldn’t call it a daily moisturizer but more of a primer prior to makeup application or a base. You’ll want to use it prior to makeup and after your regular morning skincare. I find the texture lovely. It’s rich, it’s thick, yet fluffy and soft on my fingers. Unfortunately it is very difficult to apply. For some reason it tugs a bit during application and doesn’t fully absorb so I need to really massage my face to get it fully absorbs into my skin. I find it applies very patchy and uneven so you do have to spend a good deal of time getting it to spread across your complexion evenly and to fully absorb (you can see this in my swatches below).

It does indeed work almost as nicely as Multi Play Cream as it creates a very brightened appearance. However, this translates to some pastiness if you use too much! And even using a tiny amount will give a chalky finish so be sure to use it in conjunction with foundation! As you’ll find under foundation the chalkiness will disappear and this will give skin a luminous brighter appearance. This is particularly great for those with duller skin who want their skin to look more luminous. Beware if you have a darker complexion though…this will work best for paler, fairer, or light to medium skin types but others skin tones might feel it looks unnatural…! Just keep in mind a little goes a very long way.

This contains Water, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Cyclohexanone Siloxane, Titanium Dioxide, Denatured Alcohol, Niacinamide, and a many other cones..(this is not the complete ingredient list). Personally I’ve used base creams like this from both Korea and Japan and although they have Niacinamide (typically good for whitening over time) they mostly rely upon Titanium Dioxide to give that bright, white finish you get out of box. Results are visible within a moment of application and that’s the Titanium Dioxide which gives you those visible results. I find the effects temporary in most cases and never see long term brightening results from them.

This not only has a formula I dislike (the application progresses and absorption kinda stinks) but also a fragrance I hate with a passion. This is a very strong grandmotherly type perfume smell! It kinda smells like Charmin Toilet Paper to me!

Unfortunately, between the absorption issue and the horrible fragrance I’m not convinced Tony Moly Panda’s Dream White Magic Cream is a good pick for me!

If you’re curious to try it you can get it from Ebay.com seller F2Plus1.

Anyone try it?

Do share your thoughts and results with it!

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Purchase from SHOPEE will be cheaper than retail
Click here

Etude House Beauty Shot Face Blur ($19.90)RETAIL:$26.90 is a little pick me up for the girls and guys with dull, lackluster skin. I actually put off trying Beauty Shot Face Blur for a while now! Etude House released it a few months ago but I kept putting off trying it because in promo shots it looks like a glow-y luminous primer of sorts and I dislike any highlighting type primers with a passion as they make my fuller face look even more full.

But finally I did indulge and I’m glad I did as I’m developing as great a love for this as I have for Etude House Baby Choux Base!

Etude House Beauty Shot Face Blur is a lightweight facial primer that smooths skin and brightens your complexion plus it contains an SPF 15. This comes in a 1.23 oz bottle with a pump to easily disperse the lotion.

I should really, really make it clear that if you already own Etude House Baby Choux Base you might not necessarily need Beauty Shot Face Blur as they perform in a very similiarr way but I’ll still recommend and Muse Approval this formula because it is a little different in texture than Baby Choux! Please keep in mind if you’re tan or darker you might want to avoid this as it can give skin a pasty, chalky finish. For those with pale, fair, medium fair, or even medium (just use a little for medium tones) skin tones you should be fine! You want to start of slowly with this because as I said it can be a little pasty and if you need more of course, you can build but just apply a little and see how it goes before applying more. I personally use a a drop, about the size of a pen cap head.

It instantly and visibly brightens and whitens skin beautifully! It eases dullness and creates a smoother, softer appearance. Apparently it has a pixel like powder which covers pores and yes, it actually works well at blurring the appearance of pores so skin appears not only brighter but also very smooth and flawless.

I find the formula is a lot less thick compared to Baby Choux and has a creamy texture which resembles a lotion. The color is a pale pinky peach which lightens as you apply. It provides light hydration but it sets to more of a semi-satin finish that works beautifully well as a base for foundation and BB Cream.

Etude House Beauty Shot Face Blur Swatches

I have clear, drier skin that’s prone to a bit of dullness so I end up looking tired without makeup on. Products like this are a god sent as they really brighten up my entire complexion. If you have a lackluster tired looking sin I’d highly recommend checking this out. I wouldn’t say it acts in a way a normal primer would as it isn’t about extending the wear of makeup but it does prep well for makeup and creates a smooth, brighter, and less visible pore look that’s very flattering. As I said a little does go a long way though so don’t get too crazy with this! The 1.23 oz bottle should last you ages as a small application amount is key. It does have a light floral fragrance but nothing as overpowering as Tony Moly Panda’s Dream White Magic Cream.

All in all Etude House Beauty Shot Face Blur works just as great as Baby Choux (if not, dare I say, better!) at easing dullness, smoothing skin, and creating a brighter complexion instantly.

Love it!

You can get it directly from Etude House at SHOPEE

Tried it?

Do share your thoughts!

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IOPE Air Cushion XP SPF50+/PA+++ (Review/Swatch)

YOU may get from me here for a very cheap price and can be paid by paypal in case you worry for being scam and email me you detail more product order or brands. Can be done overseas too !

RETAIL PRICE: SGD $65

IM SELLING AT: SGD $50 WITH REFILL TOO!

CAROUSELL or SHOPEE

Hey all! Sorry that this post has taken some time to go up because I was actually in Bangkok over the weekend lol.

To continue on with my 'BB cushion challenge', here's the second BB cushion pact I used everyday for an entire week - IOPE Air Cushion XP in N21. You can read about my review on the Innisfree Long Wear Cushion BB here.

****

IOPE Air Cushion XP BB cushion comes in 3 different ranges - Natural, Shimmer and Cover. You can decide what sort of coverage you'd like the BB to do and purchase accordingly. I bought No. 21 from the Natural series or N21 as indicated on the packaging because I didn't want to look overly shimmery like Edward Cullen nor have too thick of a coverage (my guess is that the Cover ones have very high coverage - don't quote me on that lol). I went for the safest option obviously haha!

IOPE does not have a physical counter/store in Singapore

The BB cushion comes in the standard white packaging as you can see and when you purchase, it comes with a refill hence you're paying for 2 cushions basically but with 1 cushion holder/cover.

When you open the new BB cushion, there is a seal over the cushion as seen below. I actually had to snap these pictures with my phone before proceeding to use the BB cream xD

If the seal is not there, highly possible that the item is not brand new so make sure it is there!

The puff provided is the typical BB cushion flat puff which... in my opinion should be more durable. I tried to wash my old Laneige old but it completely disintegrated so I had to throw it away and buy a new one. Pfffft!

Hand swatch

As you can see, the coverage is very decent and natural looking. It doesn't give me the typical 'white' sheen that BB creams normally do and unlike the Innisfree one, I could go out of the house looking fairly normal and not have to use another powder so in this sense, I prefer the IOPE one over the Innisfree one.

Here I used the BB cream all over my face, using a patting motion FYI - please do not slide the puff all over your face as you would using a sponge to apply your foundation. Staying power is fairly decent and I surprisingly didn't blot my face throughout the week I used this.

Which do I like better? IOPE actually. Simply because the lasting power is better plus the colour matches my skin wayyyyyy better. That being said, you can go for the Innisfree one if you're budget conscious because it only comes with one BB cushion so you pay lesser for it as opposed to paying for the BB cushion with a refill for the IOPE one.
I liked that the IOPE suited our local weather much more than the Innisfree one because I noticed the colour fading off much faster from my face when I used the Innisfree BB cushion. So even if I mentioned that I liked the Innisfree one in my previous entry, I'd prefer the IOPE one over that now that I've tried both versions.

Alrights, that's all for this entry. I hope it's useful for you guys reading this.
I will be testing the newer version of the Laniege BB cushion next so stay tuned.
Till then, bye!

YOU may get from me here for a very cheap price and can be paid by paypal in case you worry for being scam and email me you detail more product order or brands. Can be done overseas too !

RETAIL PRICE: SGD $65

IM SELLING AT: SGD $50 WITH REFILL TOO!

CAROUSELL or SHOPEE

No comments

YOU may get from me here for a very cheap price and can be paid by paypal in case you worry for being scam and email me you detail more product order or brands. Can be done overseas too !

RETAIL PRICE: SGD $34

IM SELLING AT: SGD $27 CAROUSELL or SHOPEE

Hey everyone! I've decided to go on a 'BB cushion challenge' because I've accumulated way too many over the past couple of months (3 omg! And... I have an existing one from Laniege that hasn't been used up).

I decided to use them because as you know, keeping the makeup for too long isn't really very advisable so I thought I'd make good use of them and write some reviews for everyone. Then you can decide if you want to pick them up locally or purchase them while in Korea :)

So my idea is to test each product out daily for a week and even if it sucks (touch wood!), I would have given it sufficient time to figure out how to work the product to my skin.

This is how I will test out the other BB cushions along the way. You can follow me on IG (@wrisney) to see what I will be testing out week after week.

*****

My first new BB cushion is from Innisfree - Innisfree Long Wear Cushion in No. 21 Natural Beige.

They actually landed on our sunny island not too long ago (it was launched in Korea in May 2014) and I had seen advertisements of them from the Innisfree Singapore Facebook page so when my cousins went to Korea at the end of May/early June, I told them to pick it up for me in No. 21 because that is the colour I usually use for BB cushions.

One thing to note is that all the brands in Korea usually have shades in the same numbers i.e. 13, 21, 23 etc and they are usually the same colour skin tones across most brands.

My usual Laniege BB colour is No. 21 in Natural Beige so I told my cousin to pick No. 21 for me from Innisfree. Wrong move, you'll see why later on!

pic cr to Innisfree Singapore

Picked the Long Wear type over the Water Glow option because I've naturally oily/combination skin. The Water Glow is more geared towards providing hydration so those of you with dry skin types should try that instead of the Long Wear version.

Here's the BB cushion pact. It comes with a mirror in the compact and a plastic cover attached to over the cushion area for you to place the sponge on top of it.

I've always thought it was an ingenious idea to have the design of the lid in this manner actually! Kudos to whoever who thought of it in Korea haha!

When you open the cushion pact for the first time, there would be a sticker seal over the cushion area to indicate that it's a brand new product. I already threw mine away by the time I started taking photos for this entry so, will try and keep that in mind for my next BB cushion next week! :D

This is how Innisfree advises its customers to use the BB cushions:

pic cr to Innisfree Singapore

I typically just take the flat sponge puff, press it into the cushion once and then slowly pat the product all over my face.

One thing that I've noticed from using this Innisfree cushion pact is that the cushion sponge is really tough and I really had to press quite hard into the sponge to get the product onto the puff.

My Laniege one is much softer and less 'tiring' to use lol! Ok, I'm really just plain lazy :x Use makeup also need to use strength simi logic leh? :/

Hand swatch in natural daylight

The colour was actually a tad too light for me :( On hindsight, I should have gone down to an Innisfree store to try the colour but I was lazy to go all the way to town just to try the colour haha.

Imagine the shock of my life when I first applied the BB cream on the first day.

My colleague told me 'Wah lau why your face so white huh' when I reached the office OTL

I thought it would oxidize on me so I happily left home looking like that. Sobs.

I learnt my lesson after that first day and after which I used my Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Sheer Glow Powder in No. 30 which is 1 shade darker for my skin after applying the BB cream to balance out the colour.

My final thought of this product - I like it! Even if the colour didn't match me lol.

It lasted as its name suggested for a long time and each day when I used my makeup wipes to wipe off the product, there was alot left on my face actually.

And the oil control is really superior compared to the Laniege one I used in the past (it's the Laniege BB Snow Cushion FYI) because I only found myself blotting about 5-6 hours after the application and even then, my face wasn't as oily as compared to when I'm using other face products.

So given that we live in such hot and humid weather conditions, I think they really formulated this BB formula very well for Southeast Asian countries! And SPF 50+/PA+++ too! Protection against both UVA and UVB rays wohoo!

Innisfree's Long Wear Cushion & Water Glow Cushion BB compacts retails for SGD$34 and KRW20,000 each. Does not come with any refill packs unlike most higher end Korean brands like Laniege and IOPE etc.
Refills sell at SGD$20 and KRW 10,000 each.
Hope this review helps and stay tuned for the next BB cushion review.
(Edit: Here are the reviews for the IOPE BB cushion!)
I will continue to file Korean brands under this label 'K-Beauty' so you can check those out if you're heading to Korea soon. I have a ton of Korean makeup goodies to share with you guys actually hoho!
Alright, annyeong for you! :)

RETAIL PRICE: SGD $34

IM SELLING AT: SGD $27 CAROUSELL or SHOPEE

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THEHUNTYBOX

IOPE Air Cushion XP SPF50+/PA+++ (Review/Swatch)

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