Category: Innisfree (Page 2 of 2)

INNISFREE FOREST FOR MEN FRESH MOUTH WASH REVIEW

Innisfree Forest for Men Fresh Mouth Wash
The first word I ever learned in Korean was not “I love you” or even “hello” it was ?? dambae. If you don’t speak Hangugmal, dambae means cigarette. And while I’m not a smoker any more, I certainly was at the time. It is important to try to quit smoking, be it a cigarette or cannabis. You could try a vape with the best 510 thread battery to help. If this is something you are not familiar with, it may be in your best interest to look into a site like www.gourmeteliquid.co.uk to understand the basic idea of vaping and everything that surrounds this method of giving up smoking. It is definitely something worth checking out, especially if you are hoping to become a non smoker as part of your new year resolution. It’s never too late to change your life. You might want to check out a vape shop uk if you’re hoping to drop smoking for an alternative or if you just want to try out the various flavors of e-liquids that are available.
My then boyfriend and I would sit in anticipation for the first one of us to break down and ask “dambae?” so we could finally light one up. Now that I’m an old boring mum (i.e. painfully aware of my mortality and healthier), those days are behind me. I stopped smoking for good about 3 1/2 years ago. Go me! I was talking to a friend recently and they told me that she got this cool new invisalign brace for her teeth. Its like a brace without it being visible and you can eat what you want. She got it done at invisalign Manchester and she says its made a world of difference for her self confidence with her teeth.

My husband on the other hand, well, he took a little longer to get off the dambae train. To be fair, he has been burning the candle at both ends for the past few years. In the past 3 short years he’s gotten one degree, became a father, and has been hard at work on a second degree all the while working on the side. He’s the most wonderful husband and father I’ve ever seen in motion, so when he’d break down and have a cigarette every once in awhile to unwind, I wouldn’t jump all over his ass too much. I used to tease him that the cigarettes would stunt his growth (he stands 6’3″) and then he’d joke that he should smoke more often then. A 9 inch height difference is hard on the neck, ha.
He’s since quit smoking completely. But in the name of this blog, I didn’t have to twist his arm too much to have one more nostalgic puff just this once for the purpose of this review.

Innisfree Forest Fresh Mouthwash isn’t exactly a traditional mouthwash. It’s a mouth spray meant to be used apres cigarette to cut the nasty breath. Aside from the obvious xylitol and menthol I can’t find an english ingredient list for this spray so I’m sorry I can’t really be of help there. There are two available flavours, which are Before Kiss and After Smoking. Each spray is good for about 250 uses.
Innisfree Forest for Men Fresh Mouth WashsI wanted to test this product one of two ways. It says it’s “for men” but um, fuck gender roles, seriously. It’s for *anyone* obviously. I wanted to test it as just a plain old breath freshener and then as it’s intended use as a cigarette smoke masker.My first thought when I sprayed the After Smoking mist was “OMG WTF”. And not necessarily in a bad way, it was just very shocking! This stuff tastes exactly how cologne smells. I don’t mean like when you accidentally spray perfume in your mouth and it’s the most foul acidic taste in the world, I mean it tastes exactly the way it smells. Like the smell of a pine scented cologne was somehow synthesized into a pleasant tasting spray for your mouth. It’s really bizarre. It doesn’t taste like anything akin to any gums or mints I’ve ever tasted so my brain didn’t know what to do. It does absolutely freshen your breath and leaves your mouth feeling very clean.When it came time for my husband to test it out we had to go through the ordeal of procuring a cigarette without buying an entire pack. Thankfully we live next to a major University in a very Asian/Korean neighbourhood so there’s no shortage of smokers lol. He managed to get a girl to give him a smoke and scurried upstairs to hang out on our balcony and catch up with his old friend nicotine. Once he was done he sprayed the product 3 times in his mouth and I could tell he had the same reaction I did. “This is weird!” he said. I asked him if it was bad and he said no, just weird. He said that for him, it cut through the tobacco smoke taste in his mouth pretty much completely. Then, in the name of science, I decided to make out a little bit to see if it made a difference in what I would taste. I know, poor me right? lol The things I do for my Beauty Pups! I mean just look at this hideous monster 😛
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I have to say, it really did do what it claimed it would! It did an admirable job of erasing that very distinct cigarette smell. It didn’t cut it 100%, there’s still that lingering musty feeling/taste that only brushing can completely get rid of, but man, what an improvement. If you or the person whose mouth you’re currently putting your mouth on are smokers, you should considering picking this up!

Since they were so cheap, I also picked up the Before Kiss flavour to test out as well. I waited until the next morning when I was sure we would be nice and disgusting in the throes of morning breath to test this out. Once again, holy hell, this stuff is strong. This one however, despite being billed as an apple flavour, tastes overwhelmingly of xylitol (Much like the Etude House Lip Perfume Breath Mist I reviewed before). It has only the faintest hint of an apple aftertaste. I am not a fan of the way this one tastes, I much prefer the After Smoking pine cologne version. Despite the jarring taste, it certainly did freshen up our breaths, and we had a lot of fun testing it out 😉

I really like the weirdness and ingenuity of the After Smoking spray, but the Before Kiss spray has been done better by other products. My rating of 4 out of 5 turtles is for After Smoking. For Before Kiss I’d only rate it 2 out of 5 turtles, that taste is just too foul for me. However, both really are on point in terms of knocking out stank ass breath.
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MISSHA FIRST TREATMENT ESSENCE AND INNISFREE SOYBEAN ENERGY ESSENCE REVIEW

fteOne of the toughest parts of writing this blog is introducing products that really have no equivalent that we’re familiar with over here, and trying to impart to you just how much awesomeness you’re most likely missing out on. Missha First Treatment Essence is one such product.

 I can’t accurately explain this stuff without a little background first. You see, Missha First Treatment Essence is actually a dupe of a much more expensive Japanese product called SK-II Facial Essence. The SK-II version was/is a hugely popular product all throughout Asia, but at well over $100 a bottle it’s a punch in the wallet. It retails between $150 and $195. So the Koreans being the ever clever innovators that they are said ‘Fuck that, we can make one cheaper and better’. And the crazy thing is, they really actually did.

These treatment essences are supposed to be the first product you use directly after washing your face. When I say directly after I mean directly after. You’re supposed to wait no more than 6 seconds after patting dry to apply. It’s a clear liquid that’s ever so slightly thicker than water. There’s really no point in me showing you a swatch because it just looks like some water chilling on my hand. Some people apply it using a cotton pad as you might your toner, but I’ve taken to just spraying it directly on my face with a spritzer I purchased. It’s near odorless and absorbs completely without any trace once you pat it in.

I guess at this point you may be asking yourself what the hell it’s supposed to even do, I’ll let the Missha website explain:

Back to the Basics, a Stepping Stone to a Healthier and New Skin. Contains 80% Fermented Yeast Concentrate, “FISSIONE”, which absorbs into skin instantly to energize your skin. Also contains Niacinamide, a Vitamin B3 component, to improve skin elasticity, enhance skin barrier function, and revive skin tone and texture. DN-Aid, made from Cassia-Alata Extract, provides vitality to aging skin, protects DNA from aging caused by UV rays, and promotes restoration of damaged DNA.

THE FIRST TREATMENT ESSENCE improves fine lines and skin tone. Miracle water “FISSIONE” hydrates, restores, rejuvenates, and gives you a glowing complexion.

Do you know what YEAST is?

YEAST is a naturally fortified Vitamin B Group. Vitamin B supports and increases the rate of metabolism and maintains healthy skin. Recently, more and more researches prove fermented yeast extract to be a good source for skin care products.

 

LOL @ “Do you know what YEAST is” but yeah, you get the idea. At first I had no idea what they meant by fissione, all I knew was fissione is literally the French  word for fission so I was a bit lost on that part and was wondering if I was going to have a nuclear reaction on my face. But apparently the actual explanation is rather mundane, Fissione is a by-product of brewing beer. That brings us to where the major difference lies between SK-II Facial Essence and Missha First Treatment essence. The source of the yeast for SK-II is from sake, while Missha’s yeast is from good ole’ beer. With a price difference of $100, and basically the same results between SK-II and Missha, I’ll take my yeast from beer thank you very much.

 When I said above that Missha has done it better, I really think they have. SK-II has some die hard fans, but so does the Missha version. I’ve gotten samples of the SK-II and felt pretty meh about it. Personally my skin really prefers the First Treatment Essence. I’ve never had any bad reactions and it really makes my skin feel nice. It does everything it claims it will do. Also, if smell is at all a factor for you, the SK-II smells a bit funky whereas Missha doesn’t really smell like anything.

Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence
A lot of other Korean brands have jumped on board the first treatment essence train. The only other one I’ve tried so far is the Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence. I guess I’ll go ahead and make this a double review while I’ve got you here since there really isn’t a huge big difference between the two in terms of performance. Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence contains 91% Jeju island grown fermented soybean essence while Missha of course is 80% fermented yeast. It’s also formulated with Innisfree’s 5 free system containing no fragrance, animal ingredients, mineral oil, or artificial colors. It comes in a plastic bottle compared to Missha’s frosted glass bottle. In terms of feel this is thicker and more viscose than Missha FTE.  It’s also way more hydrating, you can really feel the hydration and plumping with the Innisfree. I think dry to normal skin would like Innisfree better maybe, but it’s certainly not excluded from oily skin, it’s not overwhelmingly heavy or anything. I find myself reaching for the Innisfree more in the winter whereas Missha is perfect and refreshing for summer. Again though, dry skins and winter skin would also like Missha. Both are good for any skin type. At around $25 for 80 ml, Innisfree is cheaper than Missha which sits at about $52 for 150 ml. But then again Missha has insane sales all of the time. I picked up my bottle at half of the $52 price point so it ended up being cheaper for more product. You could buy either one or even both and not be going overboard. I currently have three bottles stockpiled because I’m afraid of running out and not having any on hand. So there you have it, yet another of my newly discovered holy grail products I’ve come to know and love in my adventures with Korean skincare.

Both Missha First Treatment Essence and Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence get five happy, hydrated, fermented, soothed turtles.
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Where to Buy:

Missha First Treatment Essence is available at:

Amazon
(with Prime shipping) : $40 »

Ebay (RubyRubyShop): $32 »

W2Beauty: $42 »
You can get $5 off your first W2Beauty order by signing up via my affiliate link and entering code 071087605 upon sign up!

 

Innisfree Soybean Energy Essence is available at:

Amazon
(with Prime shipping) : $40 »

Ebay (IamLove Shop): $40 »

W2Beauty: $42 »
You can get $5 off your first W2Beauty order by signing up via my affiliate link and entering code 071087605 upon sign up!

INNISFREE ECO SAFETY PERFECT SUNBLOCK SPF 50 PA+++ REVIEW

 

inniThis is a super quick review for a very important product that I’m afraid we sometimes neglect. Also, Happy New Year to you Beauty Pups! I hope 2014 is nothing short of amazing for you all <3

It feels almost ironic that with the windchill it’s literally -40 degrees outside today and here I am with a sunny tropical graphic reviewing sunblock. But no matter the weather, we always need to wear sunblock ever single day. If you’ve made no other resolutions this new year, make (and stick to) one about wearing sun protection daily.  I had a little run in with some skin cancer two years ago and, hard lesson learned. Since then I’ve been diligent about wearing it but forever searching and searching everywhere for good formulas. I’ve never been thrilled with any North American offerings on the market. Between the smell and the texture, even ultra high end products left me feeling icky and disappointed.

As you might have gleaned by now, I’m all about trying to find products that offer beneficial skin ingredients. You’ll see me using and reviewing a lot of Innisfree products because that’s kind of their whole schtick (and I’m glad of it!). The Innisfree Eco Safety Perfect Sunblock SPF 50+ PA+++ is made with organic sunflower oil and organic green tea grown on Jeju island in Korea. It’s also made with their famous “7 free” formula, free of parabens, artificial dyes, ethanol, animal ingredients (hi vegans!), and mineral oil. It also contains both mineral and chemical sun protection. Don’t let the word chemical scare you off, that’s a good thing! It’s the only way you can be protected from both UVA and UVB rays. And you definitely need protection from those bastards unless you want to end up like me with a rat bite sized chunk from the tops of your ears taken off.

The thing I first noticed about this sunblock was the scent. If you’re not a fan of the traditional sunblocky pool smell you’re going to really like this. It smells herbal and flowery. It’s sweet yet very earthy. Very Aveda-esque almost. The sunblock is white and it does leave a white cast so you have to make sure you really rub it in throughly so that it disappears. I don’t mind the white cast so much because I am very pale and in a weird way, it works like a brightening primer would, but for the majority of people it’s not going to work that way. I really do like this stuff, it’s head and shoulders above Clinique City Block which is what I mostly used before. I don’t know, I just feel like it’s really doing it’s job as a sunblock and the pleasant scent and natural (natural as possible with a heavy duty sunblock) formula seals the deal for me. This formulation would definitely be best for a drier to normal skin type. I’m afraid the very oily are going to find this too heavy, however they do offer a formula called Innisfree Eco Safety No Sebum Sunblock which is geared toward oiler skin types and I’ve heard nothing but raves about it. For some reason though, the No Sebum is only offered in an SPF 35, I have no idea why. Also from the Eco Safety Sunblock line there is a waterproof formulation in SPF 50. I’m planning on trying that one when we thaw out in the warmer months so I’ll be sure to check in with a review of it. I’m giving Innisfree Eco Safety Perfect Sunblock SPF 50 PA+++ a four out of five turtles, not quite “perfect” like the name says, but pretty damn close!
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Available on Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Innisfree-Safety-Perfect-Waterproof-Sunblock/dp/B00EUZAXBM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1430699686&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Innisfree+Eco+Safety+Perfect+Sunblock+SPF+50%2B+PA
here:
http://www.amazon.com/Innisfree-Safety-Daily-Sunblock-SPF35/dp/B0082J3WL0/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1430699686&sr=1-3-fkmr0&keywords=Innisfree+Eco+Safety+Perfect+Sunblock+SPF+50%2B+PA

And on Ebay here:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Innisfree-Eco-Safety-Perfect-Sunblock-SPF50-PA-50ml-Sunscreen-UV-Protection-/321737765188?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae910b144

and here:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/INNISFREE-Eco-Safety-Perfect-WaterProof-Sunblock-50ml-SPF50-PA-/381243364070?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58c3e012e6
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INNISFREE MINERAL MOISTURE FITTING BASE REVIEW

 

IMMFBRBackstory for this review; I might have stayed up late the night before drinking champagne and creme de cassis with friends, gone to bed slightly drunk, and forgotten to plug in my humidifier before passing out. That last thing might not sound like a big deal but I live in a high rise building that is extremely, extremely dry in the winter. Your skin feels like it’s had the moisture and life sucked out of it if you don’t have the humidifier running. On top of my little misstep the hell meter was cranked up to it’s maximum because the next morning we woke up to -24c temperatures with strong winds. My skin was unhappy, dry, and about to get assaulted by jack frost.  I needed to do some errands that required about a kilometers worth of walking outside in the city so I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to try out something I had heard good things about.
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That brings us to Innisfree Mineral Moisture Fitting Base. Despite what it sounds like, is not a foundation, it’s actually a primer. In addition to that it’s also a moisturizing skin treatment. Unlike most primers this one isn’t clear, it’s a white lotion that blends invisibly into your skin. Out of the tube it just looks like any generic cream. It’s white and has a pleasant faintly herbal scent. Innisfree is a brand that’s all about being natural and using naturally derived ingredients. I would say it’s the hipper Korean cousin of like, an Aveda type brand. Actually, that’s a perfect description because a lot of their products really do remind me of things Aveda would sell. They are especially similar fragrance wise, but overall they perform much better and are a about half the cost.
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Keeping in line with their natural ingredients identity, Mineral Moisture Fitting Base (MMFB from here on out) contains mineral powders from Jeju island to help your makeup have more staying power. And remember how I’ve talked before about plain old water being used as the main ingredient in most moisturizers? Well, Innisfree has used 100% organic green tea water in lieu of distilled water, pretty nice! It’s also formulated free of six different bad guys. It’s free of parabens, artificial colourings, artificial fragrances, benzophenone, ethanol, or silicone. You have no idea how happy that last one makes me. I hate silicone in skincare and makeup products, I just cannot stand it. It feels gross, like my skin is suffocating. It also breaks me out to an insane degree almost immediately. But because of the slip it gives, a lot of companies use it, so I’m usually the grumpiest of grumpy bears when reading ingredients lists. The green tea water and silicone free formulation already had me excited but I wasn’t exactly sure what it was really supposed to do. According to a badly translated description it “replenishes your skin with moisture and the enwrapping-final touch enhances the adherence and long lasting effects of the make-up that follows” So basically it nourishes and moisturizes your face and so that it makes a good surface for your makeup to adhere to. So, like I described above, truly straddling the worlds between between a skin treatment and a primer. 
 
The way you traditionally apply this product is after your skincare routine and sunscreen, just before you put on your foundation or bb cream. Exactly the same way you would apply any foundation primer. As nasty as the weather was I decided to just mix it in with my bb cream and use it that way. I used about 1 part MMFB to 2 parts bb cream ratio. Now, the reason I did that was I knew that the bb cream was not going to be enough protection given the extreme temperatures and wind. If I wore the bb alone it would just exacerbate my already dried out skin. So I added it all together and it mixed really nicely with my bb cream (which was Innisfree eco natural green tea bb cream). Applied to the face it was not heavy or greasy at all. It actually made my bb cream blend even easier and it was already very nicely blend-able so that’s saying something. If you apply it the traditional way, although it offers no coverage, it does give your face a nice even glow before your foundation goes on.
 
So, if you’re wondering if it stood the harsh condition test it actually did! After walking into the wind both ways (way to troll me, Mother Nature) I didn’t emerge wind chapped or a desiccated mess. My skin stayed hydrated and comfortable all day. Once I thawed out enough to take stock of myself I discovered my bb cream was still as flawless as when I first applied it that morning! I think this would be the absolutely perfect thing to use on a ski trip, or a weekend trip to a chalet, or the much less glamourous Christmas shopping in the freezing cold like I did. This would be best suited to a drier skin type since it is actually moisturizing, not just in name only like some products are. An oily skin type would most probably find this to be a bit much.

I’m going to give the Innisfree Mineral Moisture Fitting Base a 4 out of 5 turtles. It’s a good value and it really does offer much more benefit for a drier skin than a regular old primer. If you’re already going to use one, why not use one full of good, actually beneficial ingredients instead of something that’s just going to sit on your face and offer nothing in return.
Overall:
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