Hello, everyone! In today's post, I'm going to be sharing with you guys some items 3B sent me and do a little mini haul for you. They sent me some new, fun and interesting products, so I'm excited to share them with you and see if any of you have tried these.

Let's get to the breakdown...

 Overview

If you're not familiar with 3B, 3B stands for Beauty Beyond Borders. They're a Asian Beauty subscription service that is EXTREMELY affordable and brings new beauty products right to your door. I think that's the first thing I noticed about the box, is how much less it costs compared to other beauty boxes. For one month, the cost is $15. For 6 months, it costs $14 and for the full year, it costs $12. The last two options auto-renew themselves. For the boxes, the shipping is free so that's awesome! Unfortunately, for the time being, this is only offered in the United States. Hopefully that's a temporary thing :) 

So these are some of the products that I received in my box! 

 The first thing that jumped out to me when I was looking over the sheet masks was my beloved Leaders sheet mask. I can NEVER get enough of Leaders sheet masks and I recommend them to everyone. I haven't tried the other two yet but I have high hopes! 

 Prior to receiving my box, I did a little research on this brand, Neogence, It's a Taiwanese brand that is formulate by doctors so address different skin needs. I noticed that this was a Hyaluronic Acid based product, which I usually gravitate towards since I have really dry skin. The bottle, itself, is on the small size but when I opened it up and felt the formula, I was impressed. It has the weirdest consistency! 

 The consistency of this essence is like a thin gel. As you can see on the back of my hand, it holds it's form. So hopefully, that gives you a good idea of what this feels like. However, when you rub it into your skin, it almost melts into water. It's bizarre, but AMAZING! I took this little bottle and put it in my bathroom for immediate use in my current skincare routine. I've been using for about a week and a half now, and I love this extra layer of moisture. It goes on smoothly and feels slightly tacky for about a minute after applying. However, after this sets, it's perfect for layering! A night little addition to my skincare routine for another step of moisture :) 

 Next, we're these little bottles here. I took a picture with them in my hand so you could get the scope of the size. I think these are handy for traveling purposes, or if you want to test out the formula first and see if you like it. I haven't tried these out yet (because I was so excited about testing out the Neogence essence) but I'm looking forward to seeing how these feel. 

 This peeling gel is from the same brand as the other serums above. Prior to receiving this box, I've actually never heard of this brand before so we'll see how all these products do! After doing a little research, this is a Japanese brand that is somewhat popular for their serums (above). However, I'm going off a bit of a tangent here so back to the product below! This is evidently one of their best-selling products. This is a water-based peeling gel, so it's meant to be fairly gentle on the skin. I'd say, this is going to be nice not only as an exfoliator, but as a way to deep-clean my skin every once and while  

Alrighty! I hope you guys enjoyed this little Asian Beauty Haul! I've actually done a haul with 3B in the past, so I'll go ahead and leave it below in case you're curious. It's not of the products I just mentioned, but I give more information about the brand and talk about different products. As always, please don't forget to subscribe to my Youtube Channel, The Beauty Breakdown, and follow this website! :) 

xoxo,
Morgan 

Beauteque November Fresh Produce Mask Maven Bag Asian Beauty Haul and Review

Alright guys... you know I've got to post about Mask Maven if I post about the Beauteque BB Bag! Mask Maven is a subscription service that provide 9-11 mask type products every month. Now they can range from anything from sheets masks to clay masks to wash offs... you name it! For the month of November, the theme is Fresh Produce..

Let's get to the breakdown....

 Green Harmony Pear and Pumpkin Mask Pack

So far, I've only tried the pumpkin one, but boy are these interesting! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I wasn't expecting a cream mask. I was thinking this was going to be a jelly mask or a clay mask, but they actually apply like a super heavy cream. I applied the pumpkin one in a thick layer onto my skin, left it on for 20 minutes and washed it off. It left my skin nice and soft so I think this will be great for winter :) 

 No:HJ Healing Mask Pack in Lustre and Anti-Pore

These are AWESOME! I saw this on Get it Beauty, and was super excited to see this in my Mask Maven! They're a thinner sheet mask, so they adhere really nicely to the skin. Plus, they have flakes of 24k gold on them (which I show in my video), which just seems super luxurious! I can't wait to try the lustre one :) 

 Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet Avocado

I'm not super familiar with Nature Republic products (besides their aloe vera soothing gel) and I've heard great things about their sheet masks! Can't wait to try this one and love that it's avocado since my skin loves anything that adds moisture. 

 Foodaholic 3D Natural Essence Mask in Orange and Blueberry

I didn't realize this at first when I pulled this out of my Mask Maven bag, but these are 3D MASKS!!!! I love 3D masks since they adhere better to my skin! I love these and think this really helps make Mask Maven such a good deal. These, plus the NO:HJ masks really introduce those who are new to sheets masks to new and innovative Korean technology! Yay! 

 Tony Moly Pureness 100 Collagen Sheet Mask Elasticity and I'm Real Broccoli Sheet Mask

I've also never tried any Tony Moly sheet masks, so YAY for trying new things :) I love that they included the I'm Real line.. how cute is the packaging?! 

So that's this month's Mask Maven bag. Again, I am such a fan of all kinds of sheet masks, especially sheets masks (hey I made a whole video on how much I love them! :) ) so I love that I get to try different ones at such a low cost :) I think it's such a great deal and think you'd love them too! Hope you're all doing well!!

xoxo,
Morgan

October Mask Maven Review: Beauteque's Brunch

So you all should know at this point, I love sheet masks. I did a full video review of them on my channel, The Beauty Breakdown and spoke about why you should be using them. So yes, Korean sheets masks are like my secret to great skin!

However, there are so many sheets masks on the market and if you live in the United States like I do, they can be OVERPRICED. Luckily, Beauteque has a service called Mask Maven, which sends you 9-11 sheets masks a month for $15 a month (at most!).

Let's get to the breakdown...

First, I want to go over the prices! Since Mask Maven is a subscription type of service, you get a better deal for the longer you subscribe. For a one time purchase or 3 months prepaid, it's $15 a month. For 6 months prepaid, it's $14 a month and for 12 months prepaid it's $13 a month. Do the math... that's at most about $1.30 to $1.60 per mask. What a deal, right?

One thing I personally really like about Mask Maven is it takes the guess work out of it. Meaning, if you have no idea what masks are good or you don't know which ones to try (since there are literally 1,000s of masks to pick from), this is a good service to try!

Every month, they have a theme! For the month of October, the theme is so cute! It's called "Beauteque's Brunch", so all the sheet masks are food or drink themed :)

On the back of the card you receive with your Mask Maven, there are descriptions of each mask and their benefits. Of course, since this one is brunch themed, it's set up like a menu!

 Beverage

Green tea is a common ingredient in sheet masks. This one is from Botanic Farm! Green tea soothes the skin, helps add antioxidants to the skin, and reduces inflammation. 

This one is even shaped like a drink! It's a Cacao-Ade mask that also contains anti-oxidants, which fights free radicals that prematurely age the skin. 

 Fresh Fruit

Not going to lie, I'm fully aware that tomatoes are fruit, but I still consider them a vegetable! In Korea, they're definitely considered a fruit and can be found in ice cream, bingsu, and other desserts. It always makes me cringe... but I digress. This one from Beauty Friends II helps even the skin and fades dark spots and acne scars. 

Skinfood is known for using food as ingredients and Jeju is known for it's amazingly famous citrus fruits. Put those two together and you get this mask! It looks awesome and I hope it smells like tangerine :) 

 Eggs

You can't have brunch-themed anything without eggs. This one is from Esfolio and kind of reminds me of the Too Cool For School ones, which are really popular. Eggs are great for moisturizing, strengthening, and softening the skin.

 Dessert

This Skin 9 Super Puppy Whitening Honey Pack is one of those sheet masks that have the animal face imprinted on it. I've been dying to try one of these so I'm glad they included them in this Mask Maven. 

 As you can see, I went ahead and tried this one! It was so cool :) If you weren't aware of the several skin benefits of honey, honey helps keep skin firm and improves it's elasticity. Plus, it's naturally anti-bactieral, which helps fight acne.

 I also tried this one, but I hadn't opened it yet when I took this picture. This mask was SUPER moisturizing! Definitely one to use at night so all the essence has time to sink in. It also had this cool quilted pattern, which sustained the moisture for longer. If you want to see what it looks like, check out the video review :)

 House Special

Last but not least, there's the house special! This one is the Rainbow L'Affair 3-Step Mask Pack in Vitamin! If you've never use a sheet mask like this, they're pretty nifty :) You use step 1 to cleanse your skin and prep it for the treatment. Then you apply step 2 all over your skin and apply the sheet mask on top. Result; amazing skin. 

Well, that's my review of Mask Maven for the month of October. Don't forget to check out my video review and let me know if you've tried anything like this service!

xoxo,
Morgan

Top 10 Best Korean Cult / Must Have Skincare Products

So you're new to Korean skincare or you're just looking to try out some new products... I bet you're OVERWHELMED. When I first started looking into Korean skincare, I couldn't believe how many options there were. Between the different brands, lines, and products, I didn't know what to think! I knew I wanted to try some skincare products, but I literally didn't know where to start. After months of researching, I was prepared! I knew what was popular, what people enjoyed, and what were considered "cult favorites" in the Asian Beauty World.

I then traveled the Seoul, Korea with my list in hand...

And, well, that list went out the window. I bought everything I could get my hands on. (If you want to see the haul of what I bought, here is Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Yes, I had to split it up into 3 parts!)


But for those of you who don't want to do that, I complied a list of the Top 10 Korean Skincare Products that are notoriously popular in asian skincare. These are the products that I feel are the most raved about, and are a good outline of what to buy while in Korea! All of these products are tried, tested and true, and here are my honest opinions about them. BTW, if you have you're own recommendations, please comment below and share with the rest of us! Again, this is what seems to be the most popular Korean skincare products in my own personal opinion.

So let's get to the breakdown...

So I'm listing these products off in no particular order!

Etude House Wonder Pore Freshener

This one for me was difficult. I've heard so many good things about this product and I know a lot of people love it. However, it didn't work miracles for me. This is just your average toner in my opinion. It does remove makeup residue, oil and dirt from my skin, but this didn't change the appearance of my skin. But for some people, this is a Holy Grail type of product. That's why I included it in this list. 

Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel

I love this stuff when it gets hot where I live! It's nice because it's light and smells nice and fresh. It feels cooling and soothing when you apply it to your skin, which makes it great when it's hot. Since it's not super moisturizing, I usually only use this during the spring and summer, not really during the winter when my skin is more dry. Plus, you can use it on your face, skin, hair and nails so it has a ton of functions. It's also super cheap. 

Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence

This is something I use twice a day and love. It's nice and light, absorbs right into the skin, and really preps the skin for your skincare routine. I've definitely noticed a difference since I started using this product! It makes my skin look brighter and smoother. It also lasts a really long time! 

This product is even Waffle-approved!

Innisfree Cleansing Foams

I love both of these cleansing foams. They have a nice, thick lather and really clean your skin. It also doesn't strip the skin of its moisture. Therefore, it's the perfect cleanser for me because it doesn't leave my dry skin feeling drier, but it makes my skin feel super squeaky clean! I also love Innisfree products because they try to use more natural ingredients. 

Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX

This stuff is amazing. You apply if after you've finished your skincare routine at night, leave it on while you sleep, and wash it off in the morning. It makes your skin look nice and plump and really softens the skin. This is a super famous product and Target has even started carrying this brand! So it's much more accessible, which is nice. 

Innisfree Super Volcanic Clay Mask

This is the ultimate clay mask for me! Clay masks are a must-have in general, but this one is by far my favorite. It does a good job of sucking out all of the debris from your skin without leaving your skin feeling tight and dry. I know a lot of people love and enjoy this product, and it's definitely a cult-fave! 

The Face Shop Rice Water Rice Cleansing Water

This is another one of those products for me that I have mixed feelings about. It does an awesome job of cleaning your skin and getting makeup and oil out of your skin without needing to wash it off after. However, for me, it does feel a little sticky after I use this. I almost feel like I want to wash my skin after I use it, even though I know technically I don't have to. However, I know this is really popular in the Korean skincare world and people have compared it to the ultra-famous Bioderma. But personally, I'd take Bioderma over this any day. haha. 

SkinFood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off

Boy, I love this stuff. It really makes my skin feels smooth and I love that you can dilute the sugar to your liking. Therefore, if you like a super abrasive exfoliant, you can apply a small amount of water or if you like a more gentle exfoliant, you can use more water to help melt the sugar granules. Either way, this stuff is great. Plus, my sister, who isn't that into skincare in general, loves this stuff too. I think that shows how good this product really is! 

Innisfree Sheet Masks

Now, if you're going to Korea and really any Asian country, stock up on sheet masks! In Asia, these things are so much cheaper than they are elsewhere. I personally really like the ones from Innisfree. They are a nice pick-me-up when you're skin feels like it needs a little TLC, and a cheap way to treat yourself. They come in literally every "flavor" possible too! 

SkinFood Milk Shake Point Make-up Remover

Everyone who wears makeup uses makeup remover. So this is a definite must have if you're ever going to Korea. I love SkinFood in general, but this stuff is awesome! It removes the most stubborn makeup with ease, even waterproof mascara. Plus, it doesn't burn your eyes or delicate skin! 

Anyways, there's my quick list of the Top 10 Korean Cult / Must Have Skincare Products. Do you agree with this list or what would you add? It was definitely difficult to narrow down because let's face it, I love Korean skincare in general. Who knows, maybe I'll have a completely different list a year from now and need to make a new list. And yes, I am working on the Makeup version of this, however, it's much more difficult for me to narrow down! 

Hope this was helpful! :) 

xoxo, 

Morgan 

Daiso Japan Cosmetic Makeup and Skincare Haul May 2014 + Review

Yay! So I went to Daiso Japan for the first time....FINALLY! If you're not familiar with Daiso Japan, it's a store that sells items for $1.50 (unless marked otherwise). I've seen a couple hauls from Daiso, so I knew I had to go and check it out for myself! So many goodies :) Watch the video below to see all the items I bought! :)

After trying out a couple of the products I bought, I decided to do a quick review! I noticed these products got a lot of hype, so I was excited to pick them up and see if they are worth the money (Hey, a $1.50 is still $1.50!)

So let's check out the BREAKDOWN of all the products I bought at Daiso Japan :)

First, let's look at the PORE CARE PACK...

As you can see, the packaging shows a dramatic difference between the "before" and "after" picture. Yuck! This package also came with 4 nose strips.

As instructions describe on the back, I clean the my skin around my nose and got it slightly damp. I then removed the strip from the transparent sheet and placed it on my nose. The strip did stick to my nose securely, and I did not feel like it was going to fall off.

After 15 minutes, I removed the strip like the instruction said to. This thing hurt a little! It was similar to taking off a band-aid. Because of this I was hopeful and was confident that it would remove my blackheads.

 WRONG! As you can see, there is literally NOTHING on the strip (the little white dots you see were actually there originally.) I was hoping to see a dramatic difference in the appearance of my skin, but it looked exactly the same as before. Wah :(

I did try these strips a second time and thought maybe I had to get my nose wetter. That didn't help and the results were completely the same. I even forced my boyfriend to try the strips because his pores are a little bigger than mine and we couldn't seem to get these things to work for us! 

Pros: 

- well... it did stick to my nose! 

Cons: 

- didn't remove any black/white heads

- smelled funny

- skin looked exactly the same after 

Next, let's look at the breakdown of the Collagen Face Mask... 

Because I can't read Japanese, I'm not actually sure what the benefits of using this product are (if you can read Japanese, feel free to enlighten me in the comments below! :) ). I'm assuming since it's a collagen mask there would be firming, tightening, anti-aging, etc. This pack came with 3 sheets. As the directions stated, I cleansed my face while showering and applied the mask to my face for 20 minutes. Simple enough!  

This thing looks so scary!

After removing it, my face did have a little bit more of a glow and felt refreshed. I didn't see anything dramatic but I enjoyed the fresh feeling it gave my face! 

Pros:

- left my skin feeling refreshed

- relaxing 

- cooled my skin down 

Cons: 

- didn't fit my face well (you can see in the picture how it's almost falling into my eyes!)

- no long term benefits

Next, the Cosmetic Paper "Heart"...

While shopping at Daiso Japan, I was overwhelmed by all the blotting tissues they had! They had so many to choose from! I ended up picking this one because I liked the design on the box and because it came with 250 sheets!! I feel like it's pretty difficult to mess up blotting tissues so these get an "A" from me!

Pros:

- cheap

- blots excess oil

- will last FOREVER

Cons:

- not travel friendly (box is too flimsy)

- slightly bulky

Alright, on the the Mascara Base Coat...

I LOVE this packaging! It's so cute :)

 I was really excited to try this because anything that makes my lashes look nicer is awesome to me. I tried this 2 ways: 1) I applied it before my normal mascara, let it dry and then applied mascara on top 2) I applied this base and before it dried, I applied my normal mascara. However, this sadly flaked on me :( It did build my lashes and make them look fuller, however, it just didn't look that nice. A little too clumpy for my liking :( Below, I got a close up so you can see what the brush looks like!

I actually really like the brush!

Pros:

- nice brush

- super cute packaging!

Cons:

- flaky

- clumpy

- doesn't lengthen 

Finally, the Eyebrow Pencil...

This is something I also saw on other Youtube channels a lot! I'm big on making sure my eyebrows look perfect so I was very interested in this pencil. It has a slated pencil on one side (picture below) and a spoolie on the other side (sorry, I forgot to take a picture of it :( haha )

 For me, this was ok. It's a little difficult for me to work with because it's very light so I have to kind of "layer" it on to get the desired eyebrow shade. Also, once the slant has worn away, I also had a hard time filling in my eyebrows neatly. It's just not precise enough for my liking... I also don't like that I had to press hard to get it to work.

The top swatch is just one swipe on the pencil and the bottom swatch is FOUR swipes.

Pros:

- comes with a spoolie

- a natural looking color

- slanted edge

Cons:

- you have to press hard

- not precise after you wear the slant down

- takes multiple swipes to get it dark enough 

Conclusion: Unfortunately, I didn't fall in love with anything :( Although, the packaging of all the products are super cute and girly and make me happy :) It's also fun to try new things, even if they're not all winners. 

But Morgan... is it worth the money?

Kinda. I mean, all the items were only a $1.50 each but that still $1.50 I could've spent elsewhere. The only thing I would repurchase would be the blotting tissue because they're effective and you get so many! 

Well that's my review :) Let me know if you tried anything from Daiso Japan you love because I want to check them out!! 

xoxo, Morgan