I know, I'm a sucker for cute packaging. Who isn't though?! I saw Etude House's promos of this cushion and I was smitten. Call it love at first sight? Yes, I think so. This is the new Etude House Any Cushion Cream Filter so...

Let's get to the breakdown.... 

Wanna pick one up too?! Here's where I got mine! 

Packaging
I REALLY like the packaging of this cushion. Personally, I'm really liking what Etude House has been doing lately. I've noticed they're really slimming down their cushion packaging. Not only does this make it more compact, but it just looks so sleek. And can we talk about the holographic cover?! I'm obsessed. It's so beautiful and eye-catching!

The back of the box and compact

Coverage
The coverage of this is low. This does not cover a lot of imperfections and you would definitely need to use a concealer with this cushion. If you have great skin already, you could probably get away with using this alone. For me, I like my pimples, dark circles, etc. to be perfectly concealed so I would've liked this cushion more if the coverage was higher.

I have a dark, little freckle on my wrist. I use that to demonstrate the coverage :) 

Blend-ability
The formula of this cushion is extremely blend-able. It's very effortless and in no time, you're perfectly blended. The formula of this is also a bit sticky upon first applying this. This helps with the adherence to the skin, therefore, making it very easy to work with. Also, this cushion has a "net" aka, the filter. This helps the foundation smooth over the puff more evenly. In turn, making it easier to work with as well.

Shades
Shades. Shades. Shades. This is something that, for most, is an immediate "yes!" or "deal-breaker!". Fortunately, Etude House came out with 5 shades for this cushion foundation! Thank goodness. I personally feel like more Korean Beauty brands need to come out with a higher range of shades. There's vanilla, petal, beige, sand (the one I got!), and tan. I included the promo swatches in my video, but if you're still unsure, I would definitely recommend checking out other live/blog swatches online. Always super helpful, right?!

Lasting-ability
This lasting-ability of this is.. meh. I felt like a lot of it wore off by the 4-5 hour mark. Although, this isn't necessarily marketed as a long-wearing cushion. I feel like a little primer and powder would make it last a lot longer. However, on it's own, it doesn't last spectacularly long.

Finish
This finish of this is another win for me. I love how natural this looks. Now, when I heard this was a "moisturizing" cushion, I was torn. I loved the packaging, but I know myself... I usually don't like moisturizing or dewy cushions. I just don't like the look personally! Although, this is always a battle because I do have dry skin. To me, this cushion was the perfect balance. I LOVED the glow, didn't find it overly sticky or wet, and loved that it kept my skin hydrated.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 stars
This is not going to make your skin look perfect... unless your skin is already really nice. I do find this is a nice, light cushion but I love me some coverage (like most people I think!). I just wish the coverage was a little higher and that it lasted for a bit longer. Do I think this is a bad cushion? Absolutely not. Is this a must-buy? Absolutely not. Worth a shot if you're curious but keep in mind the notes I made above :) For more information, swatches, and a demo, don't forget to check out the video review I did of this! Also, check out my youtube channel, The Beauty Breakdown, for more Korean beauty, travel, etc!

xoxo,
Morgan

[REVIEW] Rire Lip Powder Review in Hot Plum

I'm always on the hunt for interesting and fun products (let me know if you find any ok? :D ) so when I saw this RIRE Lip Powder, I knew I had to get it and test it out. Check out my video review below to see what I thought about it!

Let's get to the breakdown...

So, in typical fashion, here are the close-up pics and my written review of the product.

RIRE Lip Powder in Hot Plum
Pick one up HERE (affiliate) 

Packaging...

The packaging is... ok. Honestly, to me, it looks a little cheap. Plus, I don't find it that functional. As you can see in the demo that I did in the video, the handle actually makes applying the product more difficult. It doesn't allow for an accurate application and since the handle is tapered, I could see this slipping out of my fingers, dropping it, and making a mess. 

Consistency

This had the COOLEST consistency. Like the name implies, it does start off as a powder. However, magically, it turns into a liquid lipstick consistency when you apply it or rub it. I love it and it actually feels fairly moisturizing on my lips considering this started off as a powder. 

 Application
This applies really smoothly. I love how it glides onto my lips, which are usually very dry. Like I mentioned above, I'm not a fan of the packaging, but overall, the actual product was nice to apply. Plus, I really liked the color!

Overall

I didn't test this to see how long it would last, however, it did pretty much seem like a liquid lipstick stain. It does stain a little bit but you can also wipe it off for the most part. Hopefully, that makes sense. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this first impressions and let me know of any other cool products you've tried!!

Packaging: **

Consistency: *****

Color: ****

Overall: ****

xoxo,
Morgan 

[First Impressions] MASK FROM HELL! Tosowoong Monster Cocoon Pack Review

Alright, alright... this is a post I've been putting off for a little bit.. Probably because I can't stand to look at my poor skin in these pictures. SPOILER ALERT: This mask tore up my skin. I feel like you deserve a proper review however, so I'm relieving this horrifying experience.. for you guys! Anyways, today's review is going to be on the Tosowoong Monster Cocoon Pack. I should've known by the name of this product that this was not going to turn out good.

Let's get to the breakdown...

Packaging...

The product comes in a squeeze tube. There's nothing complex about the packaging but I do like that it's spooky looking. As a Halloween fanatic, I love anything that reminds me of my favorite time of the year! The packaging is probably the only thing I liked about this product. haha. 

Directions...

You're supposed to apply this mask on cleansed skin and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Then you rinse your face to remove the mask. YOU DO NOT PEEL THIS MASK. *sigh* So many people do not read the instructions/my comments/look it up online and comment on my video that I did this mask wrong. People.. this is a wash off mask. It's not a peel off mask. If I'd peeled this off my skin, my skin would've been really sad. haha. Oh and I'd like to note this was terrible to take off.. so hard to rinse off!!

Experience...

Within a couple minutes, this mask started to tighten on my skin. Now that's supposed to happen. Through tightening, it's supposed to tighten the skin and this also helps to remove dead skin cells. You're not supposed to really move your face during this part. I'm aware of this, so I tried to talk whilst barely moving my face. Now, I understand all this. However, this mask was WAY TOO TIGHTENING. I get that it's supposed to tighten, but if a mask tightens to the point where it's tearing your skin... it's a little too much. I feel like that was the biggest issue with this mask. In the process of trying to be interesting looking, it failed to be effective. Actually, it's was more harmful than anything! 

Results...

Well, it's clear to see what happened to my skin. It got SUPER irritated from this mask. Like I mentioned above, through tightening this mask actually hurt my skin because it was pulling at it. I don't understand how they can actually say that this is designed for all skin types?! This would be absolutely terrible for sensitive or acne-prone skin types! I mean, there's not much more to say about this mask.. I won't be using it again and I think there are a ton of other masks that are more effective and gentle. Also, I do want to note that I always patch test products. Proper patch testing is to be done on the side of the neck/behind the ear since the skin there is about the same thickness of your face and because it's more similar to your face. My neck turned out ok but that goes to show.. sometimes with skincare you never know! Just proceed with caution :) Oh and my skin was fine after a couple days. Just a little tender and in need of some TLC but everything is fine. Thank you for those of you who left sweet comments! I love you guys :) 

Overall: NO STARS! (well, except for packaging haha)

Packaging: ****

Ingredients: *

Experience: 

Results:

[Review] Etude House Lash Perm All Shockara Mascara Review

I LOVE mascara and boyyyy am I picky with them. On top of that, we all know my deep love for Etude House and their makeup products. There are very few makeup products from Etude House that I don't love. So when it came to trying the Etude House Lash Perm All Shockara Mascara, I thought it would be a home run. Well was it? You'll just have to read on :)

Let's get to the breakdown...

Packaging...

I love that a lot of Etude House's makeup products match. Notice that the cap of the mascara has a similar design to their lipsticks! I love that. 

Wand...

I was actually really excited to try this wand because I was thinking I was going to be blown away by its separating powers. However, I was sadly let down. Since this wand is plastic, it doesn't carry a lot of the actual mascara on it. So when I use this wand to apply the mascara to my lashes, it takes forever to actually coat my lashes. It does separate my lashes really well, but I just don't like how long it takes to try to build the mascara up. Also, notice in the picture of the wand by my eye, the wand doesn't have any bristles on the end. This makes getting the lashes on the outer corner of my eye almost impossible! Not a fan...

 Formula...

On top of having a hard time applying the actual mascara to my lashes because of the wand, the formula of this mascara is SUPER dry. This is actually probably one of the driest mascaras I've ever tried. So that makes building it up on my lashes very difficult. 

 Results...

You can see in the pictures below that my lashes look... almost the same. Like I mentioned above, I actually do like how this mascara separates my lashes. However, it doesn't add volume, length, or darkness to my lashes. Can you tell a difference? Lol. 

 Overall...

I was SUPER disappointed by this mascara. Honestly, I'm surprised Etude House is still able to sell this mascara because it just doesn't do what it's supposed to do. It's not shocking at all... in fact... this mascara is shockingly bad! Too harsh? Well, at least I'm honest right ;)

Packaging: ****

Wand: *

Formula: *

Lengthening: *

Volumizing: *

Overall: *

Also, if you'd like to see me use this mascara in a video, I used it in the video below. While you're watching, don't forget to subscribe to my channel, The Beauty Breakdown, and follow this website for more reviews, travel posts, tutorials and more!

xoxo, Morgan 

[Review] Gram Double Chemi Ban Ban Pack First Impressions!

Hi everyone! So I get a lot of requests to do reviews on products that are designed for different skin types. While that's a bit difficult, since everyone is different, I do my best to help everyone out and show products that address a wide range of concerns. Today, I'll be reviewing the Gram Double Chemi Ban Ban Pack, which is designed for combination skin.

Let's get to the breakdown...

Packaging....

The packaging of this product is a tub with two sections inside. It separates the two different masks inside. 

Formulas...

The green side is the detoxifying/purifying side. It sucks out all the impurities from the skin and helps level out sebum production. The main ingredients that help with this are bentonite, green tea, lemon balm leaf, applemint leaf extract, tea tree and broccoli. On the other side, you'll see an orange mask. This is made for drier parts of the face. The ingredients in this that make it effective are sweet almond oil, shea butter, papaya, buckthorn, rose hip and vanilla bean.  

Directions...

The green mask is meant for the t-zone since that is wear most people have an excess of oil production. The orange mask is meant for the u-zone, which tends to be more dry. Of course, you can apply these where ever your face is dry/oily. After leaving it on for 10-15 minutes (I usually wash the mask off before it dries completely) wash it off. 

Results...

I did enjoy the 2-in-1 aspect. You can see in the close up pictures of my nose below that there is definitely less sebum on my nose. As for the moisturizing mask, I think it was nice but I've definitely used better moisturizing masks. 

Overall...

I think this is such a great multi-tasker! It's great for combination skin or if you skin tends to change during the different seasons (I'm pretty sure everyone's does!). I liked how it removed my excess sebum, but like I mentioned above, I have used more moisturizing masks. Overall, I think this is a nice mask to use if you don't feel like using multiple masks or if you want something that will address your skin's needs fairly well. 

[Review] L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation

Cushions, cushions, cushions! They're all the rage and if you're ever tried one, you know exactly why :) They're portable, compact, and super natural looking. They've been popular in Asia for quite a long time now and they're finally emerging the the "western" market. YES! So when L'oreal came out with the True Match Lumi Cushion foundation, everyone was scrambling to get their hands on one. Including me! Easier said than done I guess!

As I mentioned in my video review, I had a heck of a time tracking one of these down! I checked Ulta, Target, CVS, Walgreens, AND Rite Aid. Finally, I found it at...Walmart! You read that right! Walmart. Not to take anything away from Walmart, because I love Walmart, but I usually find newly released makeup at drugstores like CVS or Walgreens! Although I will say, they were HEAVILY picked over :/ So I ended up buying a cool-toned foundation, even though I'm warm or at least neutral. I'll write more on that soon but I was just happy that I found one in the first place!

Let's get to the breakdown...

Packaging

Like I mentioned above, cushions are designed to be very travel-friendly, or purse-friendly, and easy to use. You simply use the sponge to pat the foundation on your skin. Cushions are meant to blend in like a dream, which this one does! 

Shade 

The shade I have is C23. C stands for cool-toned and there are 2 other tones that L'oreal offers; N for Neutral and W for Warm. I should've gotten warm or at least neutral but actually the cool doesn't look too terrible on my skin. This is one of the big points for this L'oreal cushion; the shade selection! There is such a wide range, which is saying a lot considering most brands that offer cushions only have 3-5 shades at most! 

Blendability

This cushion is super blendable. I love how it applies on the skin.  

Finish

Like the name implies, this is a very dewy looking foundation. This looks great on my dry skin and makes my face look so healthy! 

Lasting Ability

This lasts a fairly long time actually. I do find I need to touch this up throughout the day (which is what makes the being purse-friendly awesome) but it wasn't too terrible. It will also last longer if you use a primer or set it with a powder like any other foundation! 

Coverage

The coverage of this foundation is light-medium. It does offer some coverage but I still prefer to use a concealer with it. 

Overall: 

Packaging: ****

Shade: *****
Blendability: ***

Finish: ***

Lasting-Ability: **** 

Coverage: ***

Overall: ****

[Review] New 2015 Etude House Moistfull Collagen Foundation Review

Hello there :) Welcome back to my website! Today, we'll be looking at Etude House's new foundation, the Moistfull Collagen Foundation. Funny story actually... when I was in Korea (where I picked this up), I wanted to check this foundation out but couldn't find it anywhere! It was sold out in almost every store when I was in Seoul, Korea, but I lucked out at the Etude House in the airport because they had one left in my shade. Nice! :) I did a first impressions of this foundation, so be sure to check that out. Now let's get to the actual blog review of this product!

Let's get to the breakdown...

Packaging

The packaging of this product is so cute and simple! I love Etude House products because they always look so cute and princess-y. I've heard that some people think the packaging of Etude House products look cheap... but I don't think so :) It also, obviously, comes with an air puff inside and a nice mirror!

Application

I'm combining these two sections because I feel like in this circumstance, they're related and dependent on each other. The application of this is somewhat thick. Not too bad but with cream foundations like this, I find that I prefer to apply them with a separate brush versus the puff provided. Even the air puff applies these type of foundations a little thick.

Lasting-Ability

As the day wears on, this foundation falls apart even more. It gets patchy, emphasized my dry patches (I have dry skin), makes my skin look super oily, wears off in random places, and to top it off, STREAKS! I've never had a foundation really do that to me. 

Shade

Now the shade of this applies SUPER grey. Like WTF ETUDE HOUSE?! As you can see in the video, my face looks super ashy when I apply it. And I usually match Etude House foundations in shade 2. However this foundation, which I forgot to mention is in shade 2 "natural beige", is not just way too light.. it's way too grey. Plus, it doesn't oxidize much. So you're stuck with that shade. Also, this is the darkest of the TWO shades that are available. Yes, there's only two shades available. Look at how ashy this looks below!

 Overall

I've actually never disliked a foundation as much as I dislike this one. I know it's strong words, but I'm being honest with you guys because I don't want you to waste your money! I can't believe Etude House even thought this was ok to release! It does the opposite of what foundations are supposed to do... aka hide your flaws, make your skin look nice, last all day, make you look healthy. It makes you oilier and drier in certain spots, makes you look ashy and dry, wears off quickly in certain spots, and is just terrible overall.

Packaging: ***

Application: ***

Last-Ability: (no stars)

Shade: (no stars)

Overall: Can I give negative stars?

xoxo,
Morgan

First Impressions: Holika Holika Magic Pole Mascara VS. Benefit They're Real Mascara Review

So this was a fun first impressions for me because I did it in a slightly different format! In this video/post, I'll be comparing the Holika Holika Magic Pole Mascara and The Benefit They're Real Mascara! Don't forget to subscribe to my channel, The Beauty Breakdown, if you haven't already because it helps me out a ton :)

So let's get to the breakdown....

Packaging

The Holika Holika Magic Pole Mascara comes in this fun box! It unravels and reveals the mascara! I don't know why but I think this is so fun! haha.

Directions

I feel like everyone applies mascara a little differently so use this however you would normally apply mascara. From my experience, this mascara builds well so you don't need to worry about applying it a certain way. 

Comparison

Here it is! The comparison of the two! As you could see in the video, when I was applying the mascaras, there wasn't a big different between the two. Application-wise, the Holika Holika one was slightly more lengthening while The Benefit one was more thickening. But you really couldn't see much of a difference between my eyes. 

Brushes

The applicators in my opinion are fairly similar. Both have a plastic brush with spikes around the wand. On the tip, there are also some spikes so help apply mascara to the corner and lower lashes. This also helps with separating the lashes. Both brushes were good at preventing clumps.

Wear

Both of these mascaras wore really well. They didn't flake or smear during the day but at the same time, I don't have oily eyelids. Although, I don't think either one of these would do that even if you did have oily eyelids. On a side note, they do have waterproof versions in both mascaras. I don't like waterproof mascaras since they're too difficult for me to remove. 

Comparison

Between the two, I LOVE both of these mascaras. I would only choose the Holika Holika one because it is a little bit cheaper than The Benefit They're Real mascara. If you're looking for a good lengthening mascara, try the Holika Holika one. For thickening, definitely try The Benefit one. But I would definitely recommend both :) 

Overall: ****

Packaging: ***

Application: ****

Brushes: *****

Wear: ****

[Review] First Impressions: Entire Etude House Dreaming Swan Collection

It's here, it's here! I was so delighted when I came home after a long week at work and found this on my doorstep. It's the Etude House Dreaming Swan Collection! When I initially saw the promo pictures for this collection, I was so excited! I'd pretty much missed the boat on other major Etude House Collections (The Minnie Mouse Collection, Etoinette Collection, etc) and could never get my hands on the items I wanted. But this time, I pretty much got the ENTIRE collection. It may seem excessive, but hey, I work HARD for my money and like to enjoy it. Plus, I know you guys were probably as antsy as I was. Anyways, I made a video review on my channel, The Beauty Breakdown, so definitely check that out and see if you like any of the products! But here's the blog post, so you can get a closer view of all the products :) 

Now on to the items :) Here are the lippies! I unfortunately, could not get one of them because they were sold on the Etude House website, but I got the other four! Also note that these lipsticks are ALL MATTE. I was not expecting this when I ordered, but they are matte. So for those of you who don't like matte lip products, sorry :( But luckily, they're still very creamy and apply very nicely. Also, they're very pigmented, which in my opinion, is always a good thing!

My Blooming Lip-Talk in PK022 in Jete Pink. 

My Blooming Lips-Talk in OR225 in Pointe Coral

My Blooming Lip-Talk in PK024 in En Haut Pink

My Blooming Lips-Talk in PP502 Releve Purple MY FAVE!

Next, let's look at the Eye and Cheek Colors. Personally, I consider these mainly blushes (even though you can use them on your eyes) because they're not colors I'd usually use on my eyes. Also, they're not the darkest colors ever. They offer more of a nice wash of color instead of a super pigmented color. They're all shimmery and super smooth. They blend really nicely on the skin as well :)  They also come with a super cute puff! I do want to mention the the pictures on the tin are not printed on, they're stickers :/ I don't like that because stickers tend to get a little ratty looking after you use it for a while. oh well...

Eye and Cheek in #01 Jete Pink. This one is fairly light and would probably only show up on lighter skin tones. For tan skin tones, this would be more of a highlight color.

Eye and Cheek in #02 Pointe Coral. This is a nicely peachy color, but again it's more of a highlight color on darker skin tones. On light skin tones, this would probably show up nicely. 

Eye and Cheek in #03 Arabesque Rosy. This is one of the more pigmented ones. This shows up as a nice burnt coral/rose color.

Eye and Cheek in #04 Releve Purple. This is a light lavender color and again will probably show up on light skin tones, but not dark ones.  

Eye and Cheek in #05 En Haut Pink. This one is the most universally appealing color. It's similar to NARS Orgasm Blush, because it's a nice peachy/pink with a gold undertone. This one is more pigmented. 

For this collection, Etude House re-released their veiling pact. I'm pretty sure you can get this at anytime, but they repackaged it for the Dreaming Swan collection. I have never tried their veiling pact, so I wanted to get it to try it :) I haven't used this yet, but I can tell you, it obviously won't work on darker skin tones. Sorry guys, I feel your pain! It's almost a little too light for me, but I can make it work with some bronzer. Love the packaging though :) The picture is actually printed on the compact, so you don't have to worry about it pealing off like the blushes!

It comes with a  little puff and also has the Dreaming Swan logo imprinted in the powder!

Next, are the Dreaming Swan Shine Volumer. These are meant for use on both the face and the eyes. However, I would NOT recommend using these on the face. They are so glittery and shimmery, they'd really only be pretty on the eyes. I haven't tried these out a ton yet, but I'm excited to see how they look!  

Shiner Volumer in #01 Dreaming Swan. A nice pearly, white color. Has some pink glitter to it. 

Shine Volumer in #02 Bright Toeshoes. A beige shimmer. Has some gold glitter in it.

Shine Volumer in #03 Shiny Tutu. The perfect rose gold. A nice combination of the two colors.  

Here's a swatch of the colors. Going from top to bottom, it's #01, #02 and #03. 

Finally, the nail polish kits! I was close to passing on these, but I honestly love colors like these. I'm a big fan a neutral nail colors because I think it looks so pretty and girly. So I got both kits because I figured I would get use out of them. They both come with sticker decals, but I didn't take pictures of them. I showed them in the video, so if you're curious about those, watch the video ;) 

Dreaming Swan Nail Kit in #01 Dreaming Swan. This has a light pink color and a gold shimmery color. 

Dreaming Swan Nail Kit in #02 Shiny Tutu. My favorite out of the two I think! It has a creamy, vanilla color and  a shimmery beige color.

And that's it! I did get the little bag, since I bought the value kit (which included the bag, lipstick and blush in pointe coral). I got it because it was cheaper than buying it separately and I showed the bag in the video! I didn't get the brush or the cushion compact case because I didn't need a little brush like that and I don't have the Etude House Cushion Foundation.. maybe one day :) Anyways, I hope this was helpful, so you could see what the products actually look like. For me, I know this is important because I have to order online, and sometimes the colors they show are not very accurate. Let me know if you love the collection as much as I do and don't forget to subscribe to my channel and share this post!

xoxo, Morgan