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 :)
I was so excited when this arrived at my door! It's the Memebox Intense Hydration Box. This box is centralized around products that are meant to help rehydrate the skin and give your complexion a surge of moisture!
Let's get to the breakdown...
Like I mentioned above, all of these products are meant to be ultra hydrating for the skin. As always, when you receive your Memebox, you get a card inside that explains the products, lets you know how much they are, and gives you directions.
The retail value of this box is $96.30 for $45.00! That's almost 50% off! That's insane considering what's in this box ;)
Voila! Look at all the goodies in this box! One thing I thought was funny when I received it was I was super surprised at how heavy the package was! Let's look at the products individually!
This product is from Secret Key and it's their Starting Treatment Aura Mist ($13.50). It's meant to add hydration to you skin and has galactomyces in it. If you're not familiar with galactomyces, it's actually fermented yeast. This is supposed to be really great for your skin and help prevent wrinkles.
This is the SNP Acsys Hydra Essence ($20). It's a nice and light essence that helps with AC prevention. This is great for those who experience breakouts, but still need hydration for their skin!
This is the Enprani Moist Foam Cleanser ($25). If you're not familiar with Enprani, it's actually the luxury brand of Holika Holika. You can buy some Enprani products from Holika Holika stores. I bought an eye cream from Enprani, and it's really nice. I think this brand is designed for young adults to adults.
This was what was super heavy in the box since the container is glass and it's a huge tub! It's the Holika Holika Aqua Max Ultra Moisture Cream ($28). This is even the big size of it! This cream is very popular in Korea and I believe it's one of Holika Holika's best selling cream.
Of course, you can't forget about your lips! Lips need love too :) You also get the SkinFood Rose Essence Lip Balm ($9.40) or the avocado one. Obviously, I received the rose one, which smells lovely.
I hope this was helpful for those of you who were looking into purchasing this box :) How great is Memebox?! Full-sized products for so cheap!
I know, this post has been much awaited by a ton of you. The reason it took me so long to come up with this list is because there are SO many makeup products and brands to pick from! I really wanted to have an opportunity to think about and research what I felt were Korea's Must Have / Cult Favorite Makeup Products. I know these might not be the same for everyone, or you might have other products you love, but this is just meant to be a good starting place for those of you looking into buying Korean Makeup. Oh and if you haven't checked out the first part, which is all the must have Skincare Products, don't forget to check that out too!
I know when I started buying Korean makeup, I was so overwhelmed by everything. All of these products are makeup items I've personally used, researched and would recommend to anyone! Plus, these are pretty popular in the Asian Beauty World in general, so you know these have to be good ;)
Now enough rambling! Let's get to the breakdown....
Etude House Beauty Shot Face Blur: Boy, this is my holy grail primer. I did a full review of it and showed you guys how photoshopped this makes my skin! It truly makes my complexion look brighter and my skin flawless. Since it does have a brightening effect, try to get your hands on a sample if you're worried your skin is too tan/dark to use this!
Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly BB Cream: This is a very well-known BB cream in the Asian Beauty World. It's even loved by Michelle Phan! Seriously, this BB cream glides onto your skin, gives your face a soft glow and is very comfortable to wear. Beware, the shades to run light and there's not much of a color selection. So if your skin tone matches this, you're very lucky!
SkinFood Red Orange Makeup Finish: This is a very popular makeup setting mist that does a nice job of preserving your makeup throughout the day. Plus, it comes in 2 options: matte and glossy. This is nice because not everyone likes a matte makeup look but not everyone likes a glossy makeup look. So you can choose which one you prefer!
Etude House Precious Mineral Any Cushion: If you're planning on trying some new Korean Makeup, you must try at least one cushion foundation. These are awesome because they're easy to carry in your purse and give your skin a natural look. I like this one from Etude House and know most people that have tried it like it as well.
SkinFood Salmon Dark Circle Concealer: This little creamy pot of concealer does wonders on the skin. Since it has a peachy undertone to it, you can use it to cancel out the blue tones of dark circles. However, it's not overly peachy, so you can still use it to cover spots on your face! It's a great multi-tasking concealer!
Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder: Ok, so this one was a weird one for me to mention because at the moment, I don't actually own the product. I've owned it in the past but used it up! So I'm showing you this one because the No-Sebum version comes in the same exact packaging except mint green. It's an awesome dupe for the Makeup Forever HD Setting Powder, but is much more affordable. I've never heard anyone complain or have any issues with this powder!
Holika Holika Jewel-Light Waterproof Eyeliners: These babies come in a variety of shades, colors, and finishing and are altogether amazing. Not only are they super affordable so you can try different colors, but they're also long-lasting and waterproof when they set!
Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer: I discovered this eyeliner when I noticed a ton of Korean beauty gurus using it in their tutorials! Then I heard it was a good Urban Decay Eye Primer dupe, and I was sold! It really does make your eyeshadows last longer and look more vibrant. Plus, like a lot of items on this list, it's much more affordable :)
Tony Moly Petit Bunny Gloss Bar: This is on this list really for the cute factor. Every haul I've watched or read from Korea has had one of this in it. It's a nice, slim balm to keep with you when you need a little moisture to your lips or a light wash of color. It's also just fun to use because it's just so dang cute!
SkinFood Tomato Cool Jelly Tint: BEST TINT EVARRRRRR! I love this tint from Skinfood. It looks so natural on my lips and doesn't cling to the dry patches. It goes well with every makeup look and has really earned it's spot in my purse. I personally use this almost everyday, which says a lot considering the amount of lip tints I own!
RUNNER UPS!
I mentioned this at the end of my video, but there are a couple runner ups I wanted to mention that didn't make it into the video! These are just as good and are simply my personal recommendation to check out as well :)
Etude House Drawing Show Creamy Liner: I've tried a ton of gel eyeliners from Korea and have really enjoyed this one from Etude House. It's nice and creamy like the name implies and also lasts all day. I've used it a lot in my recent makeup tutorials, so if you want to see this in action, check those out on my channel, The Beauty Breakdown!
Tony Moly Luminous Goddess Aura Goddess Maker: WHY KOREA?! Why do the names of products have to be so long and repetitive?! Despite this, this product is awesome for achieving that dewy skin Korean girls always seem to have. It's great because there's actually no glitter or shimmer to this product. Just pure, glossy awesomeness!
Tony Moly Panda's Dream Eye So Cool Stick: This is another popular product from Korea. I actually think this is one of Tony Moly's best sellers! Love the packaging of this, of course, but the product itself is great for smoothing on puffy, tired eyes. A quick fix to rejuvenate and relax the eye area!
Well, there you have it! The second part to my list of Korean Must Have Makeup Products! I know there are so many more makeup products to mention, so if you have any personal suggestions, let me know in the comments below! I always love to hear your suggestions! Hope this was helpful for those of you who were like me and completely overwhelmed by all the makeup products Korea has to offer! :)
We've all been there. You get caught up in the hype surrounding a particular beauty product and know you must have it. You spend your hard-earned money and take the plunge! However, to your dismay, the product SUCKS.
Well, I'm no stranger to that feeling. Since I review and try a lot of different Korean beauty products, there are bound to be some I don't like or feel was over-hyped. Here are some of those products that I wish I could go back in time and persuade myself to not buy!
*Disclaimer: All of these are my own opinions. I understand there are people who might love these products, but they just didn't work for me... no hard feelings, yeah? ;)*
Let's get to the breakdown of products I regret buying...
I bought this when I was in Seoul, Korea. I was really into the whole "peeling gel" thing because I thought it was such a neat idea! Something that would exfoliate your skin and remove all the dead cells without being too abrasive? Sounds great! I saw this in Nature Republic and saw how cheap they were (around $4!) so I snatched them up without a second thought. Unfortunately, these Skin Smoothing Apple and Lemon Peeling Gels are not even worth the couple bucks I spent on them. They don't remove any dead cells, they smell AWFUL and they just don't work.
I know, I know... I should've known these were too gimmicky to be true. Luckily, I received these in a Mask Maven Box, so I didn't actually buy them. But these Tony Moly Red Cheeks Girl's Patch are just silly, in my opinion. They are too slimy, slide right off your face, and don't have any lasting effects. Fun yes, effective no.
You can pick up capsule packs like this at pretty much every road shop in Korea! I love the idea behind these because you can try different skincare masks without committing to buying a full size. Why don't we have this in the United States?! Anyways, these It's Skin Todak Todak Capsule Packs didn't do anything for my skin.
Now I know some people like this Holika Holika Pro Beauty Bloody Oil Tint. Mine is in the shade "Vampire Kiss". The concept behind this is it's supposed to be a moisturizing lip tint that doesn't dry out your lips. At first, I liked this and the shade itself. But then....something weird happened. One day, I picked it up to use it and noticed it looked weird. I shook it and noticed it wasn't mixing together! I was so confused because before, it mixed together perfectly. I opened it and noticed it had a really ODD smell. Yuck. It smelled like a dirty mop. haha. I don't know if it's just mine but I couldn't even bring myself to use this. It looked gross and smelled gross. Sad thing is is that I've only had this for a couple months. It shouldn't be bad already! Let me know if you had this same issue :(
You can see the "chunks" in it...like it doesn't mix together anymore!
This is kind of silly. But the reason why I'm including these hair velcro things from SkinFood is because they don't hold my hair back when I'm doing my makeup! My hair is too thick and when I use these to pull my bangs back, they slowly migrate back towards my face. Not very helpful when I'm trying to apply my foundation without getting it in my hair.
Another thing that is super hyped in the Korean Beauty World is the concept of cushion products. Cushion foundation, cushion blushers, cushion eyeshadows... you name it! There's a cushion version for everything. I saw this Lock N' Summer Cushion Eyeliner at Etude House and thought "Wow, how great! It's so portable!". Well, I used this thing maybe once and then the next time I went to use it, it was all dried up! So sad. And yes, I had the lid on tight! I think the actual eyeliner formula was just to dry and this was more of a gimmicky product than actually functional :(
These Dr. Mascara Fixer Mascara Primers from Etude House are well-loved by many. But these just didn't work for my eyelashes. I don't have "Asian" eyelashes (meaning pretty straight, short eyelashes) but I don't have great eyelashes either. Either way, these mascara primers were hard to work with for me and almost made mascara application harder for me.
Finally, I did mention the Berrisom Tattoo Lip Tint Pack in my video! I know this one is SUPER controversial... so you'll have to watch the video to see why it didn't work for me and why I don't like it! :D
Well that's it! I'm sure I'll encounter more products I don't like as I try more, so don't forget to subscribe to my channel, The Beauty Breakdown, to get updates on when I add new videos, content, etc! Let me know what you think and products you didn't care for so I can avoid them at all costs! haha.
Holika Holika has come out with a predecessor for its very famous Pig Nose Clear Blackhead 3 Step Kit. It's called the Golden Monkey Glamour Lip 3 Step Kit and instead of removing your nasty little blackheads, this kit is designed to exfoliate, plump and moisturize your lips! Of course I had to try this since my lips are notoriously dry. (I'll be releasing the video review of this product soon and I'll put it in this post!)
By the way, if you're wondering why Holika Holika themed this kit after monkeys, I believe the Golden Monkey is known for its pink and noticeable lips. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's move on!
The packaging is super cute! Look at this thing, I don't even want to open it! haha. But I must for the sake of the review.
Here's a close up of the packaging. You can see the ingredients, directions, and description.
Here's an initial 'before' of my lips. As you can see, they're fairly dry and a little chapped.
So step one of the packet is to remove all the dead skin and clean your lips with this pad. As you can see, there's no texture to it, so it's not really good for exfoliating. It doesn't really have a smell and FYI, just in case you get in your mouth, it doesn't taste terrible. haha.
This is what my lips looked like after step one. As you can see, they're a little bit smoother.
Step 2 of the packet is to take this lip gel patch and place is on your clean lips for 15 minutes. It's nice because it stays in place and doesn't slide all over the place. You can wear this while you do other things!
I look crazy with this thing on!
So I forgot to take a picture after step 2 but you can see the results immediately after step 2 in the video (once it's posted!). Step 3 is a honey-based balm that you put on your lips. As you can see in the picture below, the balm is nice and glossy. Plus, it's not sticky at all and it's very comfortable to wear! I loved this last part because it made my lips feel really nice and it's really shiny! Also, there's enough in the packet to save a use a couple more times!
So what do you guys think?! Can you see a difference? Do my lips look better? Hope you guys enjoyed this review!
