Hi there :) As you probably know by watching k-dramas and listening to Korean idols, you know that the dewy skin trend is really popular. Is been going strong for a couple years, so here's a tutorial on how to achieve the look yourself :) Don't forget to subscribe to my channel, The Beauty Breakdown, and check out my other videos!

Let's get to the breakdown

I made this nice little graphic to describe how to achieve this look! Although, I would refer to the video above if you're confused or need more thorough directions.

xoxo, 

Morgan 

[Review] Innisfree Long Wear Cushion Foundation 23 True Beige Korean Makeup Review

This is the follow up post for the First Impressions I did on my channel, The Beauty Breakdown, and a write-up of the review that I did of the Innisfree Long Wear Cushion Foundation. My shade in particular is shade 23 True Beige. 

Let's get to the breakdown....

Packaging

As with all Korean cushion foundations, this product comes in a compact format. Please excuse my dirty ass cushion pad. haha. I need to wash it. The packaging is nice and sleek and a bit slimmer that other cushion foundations, making it great for carrying around with you.

Shade

If you're familiar with Korean foundations/bb creams/cc creams, you know that Korean cosmetics companies always make their foundation in lighter shade. The shade that I have is the darkest shade they off. Altogether, Innisfree offers 3 shades. It actually matches fine with my skin as long as I blend it down my neck a bit. For reference, I'm about an NC 25-30. Also, a little bronzer to help it blend in never hurts ;)

The left side (my right side) has the foundation applied. The other side is just bare. 

This is the foundation all over my skin. As you can see, it's an ok match, and in person matches a bit better too.

Finish

This long wear cushion is the matte version. It's actually designed for people with oilier skin, but I still wanted to try it even though I have dry skin because I prefer matte foundations. This, however, was a little too dry on my skin. I had to apply a pretty heavy moisturizer underneath it so it would cling to my dry patches. Without a heavy moisturizer, I didn't like it because it emphasized how dry my skin it. However, with the moisturizer, it's a nice finish on me.

This was taken with a light moisturizer underneath. I don't know if you can tell from the pictures, but it would cling to the dryness on my forehead. 

Blendability

This stuff sets pretty dang fast. Because of this, you have to work on one section of your face at a time. You can't pat it all over your face and then go back and blend. Work fast and in one area at a time!

Lasting-Ability

OMG. This stuff is incredible as far as it's lasting ability. It lasts all day and maintained it's matte-finish. I was so happy with this and even wore it on a day when the temperature was 105 degrees fahrenheit! Even though I was sweating and stuff, the makeup itself didn't move. It might wear quicker on oilier skin types, but if on my dry skin (with heavy moisturizer underneath) it excelled.

Overall

Packaging: *** (and a half)

Shade: ***

Finish: *** (and a half)

Blendability: ***

Last-Ability: *****

Overall: *** (and a half) 

Just to sum everything up. I liked this foundation and will probably use it when it's hot. I know it's not meant for dry-skin types, but you can make it work by properly moisturizing your skin before applying it. On oily skins, I hear this is amazing as well, but I'm just speaking from my own experience and opinion!

xoxo, 

Morgan 

Insider Beauty Korean Beauty Haul! CLIO, Missha, Goodal and more!

Hi guys. So I promise, I'm trying to be better about updating this blog. It's really difficult considering I run everything by myself and I'm planning my trip for Korea (I leave later this month!). Anyways, enough excuses. Here's the follow up post for the haul that I did from Insider Beauty.

Disclaimer: I was sent all these products from InsiderBeauty to review, but they're not paying me to review them. As always, you guys are very important to me so my reviews are always honest!

Let's get to the breakdown of the haul...

Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Sleeping Mask

I've said this a thousand times, but I love the idea of my skincare working overtime in my sleep. Who doesn't love the idea of waking up with amazing skin? This was sent to me as a recommendation from InsiderBeauty and we'll see if this lives up to the hype! It's part of Missha's super popular "Super Aqua" line and it also has snail filtrate in it so we'll see!

 Primera Peeling Facial Mild Broccoli Sprout Peeling Gel

I've been trying to test out of bunch of peeling gels for you guys so I can recommend some so this is definitely a contender. Don't worry about the broccoli sprout idea though! It smells very nice :)

 Leaders Insolution Moisturizing Recovery Mask

I've actually tried these masks before these two were sent to me and I can say that I already really like them! They're gel masks, so they hold hydration longer that standard sheet masks. Also, if you've never used these before, be sure to remove the film from BOTH sides. I did know this the first time I used it and accidentally left one film on and couldn't figure out why it was so stiff.lol.

Leaders Insolution Baby Soft Hand Mask

I can't wait to try these! I've never tried hand masks and have always been fascinated by them since I suffer from perpetually dry skin from my obsessive hand-washing.

 Peri's Tint Crayon in #04 Fruity Love

This color is so nice for the summer! It's such a lovely pink color and the formula is actually nice and moisturizing as well. I love this because my lips are forever dry :(

 Banila Co. Clean it Zero Cleansing Balm

This is a holy grail item for me. This is the BEST makeup remover I've ever used. My mom even loves this stuff and when we visit Korea at the end of this month, we'll probably buy, like, 20 tubs.

 The texture is so smooth and just emulsifies as soon as it touches your skin. I actually ENJOY removing my makeup when I use this!

 Goodal Mild Protect Watery Sun Cream 30 SPF

Goodal is a brand I've never tried and they focus on "fermented beauty". I don't know what to think about this because it's intimidating thinking I'm putting rotten things on my face... but considering I've tried scarier things (ahem, snail slime anyone?) I'm actually ready to try this! Plus, I can always use sunscreens :) 

 CLIO Kill Black Pen Liner and Gelpresso Waterproof Shadow in "Bottoms Up"

These are the gems of this haul! Last but not least, I'd like to present to you these beauties from CLIO! I'm really starting to LOVE CLIO products and think I'll buy a bunch of stuff from the while I'm in Korea. These both last all day are glide right onto my eyelids... just like they were meant to be there :)

Want to see how the liner performs and a formal review! Check out my video on it!

Anyways guys, I hope you enjoyed this haul! I've been doing a lot of haul posts lately, but fear not, I'll be back to posting other things soon!

xoxo,
Morgan

PS. Just wanted to say I LOVE you guys :)

Korean Beauty Haul from Peach and Lily! Cremorlab, Mizon, and Aromatica

Hi there :) SO as a beauty blogger, I get sent products to try and was excited when Peach and Lily reached out to me and asked if I'd like to try some of products from their website! Of course, I was like YES. It's a win-win because not only do I get more products to review and show you guys, but I also get to interact with the people at the website, which helps me get a feel for whether I'd recommend their website to you guys!

Anyways...

Let's get to the breakdown...

Peach and Lily 

Peach and Lily is actually a really interesting website. As I scrolled through the pages, I noticed that most, if not all, of their products are from high-quality brands that prioritize natural and effective ingredients. They also have a page on their website that describes the process of selecting products for their shop... which shows how much effort, detail, and consideration goes into the products. You should definitely check the page out for yourself! I'd also like to mention how easy their site is to navigate and their shipping was extremely fast!

Cremorlab Refreshing Cleansing Gel Oil

I've been wanting to try out a bunch of different oil/balm cleansers because I wanted to do a comparison video for you guys. I've heard of this brand before, but haven't gotten the opportunity to try anything from them until now! But how beautiful is this bottle? It looks so glamorous!!

Cremorlab Herb Tea Blemish Minus Calming Mask

Ah! I don't even want to open it! It looks so nice :) Excited to try some nicer sheets masks. I use sheets masks 2-3 times a week so I'm always open to try some more! Plus, this one looks fancccyyy!

 Mizon Special Care Apple Smoothie Peeling Gel

I wanted to do the same thing I'm planning with the cleansing oils/balms, so I've been gathering some peeling gels to do a comparison review for you guys! They're really fun to use and I love Mizon products, so this should be interesting!

Aromatica Rose Absolute First Serum

I'm starting to really like rose products.. the smell is just so refreshing! This product seemed really unique to me, and I can't wait to see if this works well. It's designed for dry and aging skin, so my skin will probably love it since it's SO dry!

Hope you enjoyed my Korean Beauty Haul from Peach and Lily :) I can't wait to put these items to the test!

xoxo,
Morgan

Korean Beauty Haul From PrettylilFace! Tony Moly, Innsifree, Etude House and More!

It's time for a haul!! I got these products from PrettylilFace and wanted to share what I got! 

I included a lot of shipping information and other website information in the video, so be sure to watch it if you're curious!

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I know some of you guys like to see pictures of the products, so I was sure to include it in this post!

Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream

I've been wanting to try this CC Cream to see if it gives you a nice dewy glow! We'll see how this works out and if it really does make your skin look luminious.

Innisfree Real Skin CC Cream 

This is one of those color adjusting CC Creams... at least I'm pretty sure it is. What else would color control stand for?? Anyways, I'm really into Innisfree skincare, so I want to start branching into more of their makeup. 

Etude House Zero Sebum Drying Powder

This is a translucent powder that is supposed to be great for those of you with oily skin. I really can't wait to put it to the test.. plus I have a feeling it's going to be somewhat similar to the ultra-famous Innisfree No Sebum Powder.

 It comes with a cute little puff of course!

Etude House V-Line Slim Maker

I don't know if you've noticed too, but contouring has become much more popular in Korean beauty. However, instead of contouring yourself a new pair of cheekbones, it seems like the trend in Korea is to use contouring to make your jaw and face look slimmer. Either way, I'm happy to see more Korean brands come up with their own contouring powder!

Look how pretty the highlight is too! Plus it comes with a nice little brush :)

AHHH the design too! I'm sadly wearing it away as I use it :(

 Skinfood Lettuce and Cucumber Watery Essence

I was looking for an essence that's a bit lighter because it's summer and I don't like apply heavy toners, serums and creams on top of each other. We'll see how I like this because it's supposed to be pretty nice!

Tony Moly Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream

I love peeling gels and I know this one is a super popular one. Plus, it's more of a cream than gel so I wanted to see if this worked any differently!

Tony Moly Floria Brightening Peeling Gel

HOLY GRAIL ALERT! I've tried samples of this before and fell in love immediately. It literally makes my skin glow and look so luminous. I'll have to do a review on this for you guys :) 

Innisfree Long Wear Cushion Foundation

I'm on the hunt for more cushion foundations and I heard rave reviews about this one. I've already done a first impressions on this, so definitely check out that video to how it worked for me!

 I know, I can't seem to keep these cushion puffs neat. Oh well, makeup is messy right?! :) 

Hope you enjoyed my haul! As always, don't forget to check out my youtube channel, The Beauty Breakdown, where I'll do more reviews and first impressions of these products! 

xoxo, 

Morgan 

[Review] Adorlee Youth Reviving and Preserving Eye Cream with Eyeliss

Hellooooo! Today I'm bringing you my review for the Adorlee Youth Reviving Eye Cream. I have both the reviving and preserving cream!

So let's get to the breakdown...

Disclaimer

I did receive these as a gift from Adorlee, however was not paid to do this review. These are my own personal and honest opinions as always :)

Packaging

Ah...packaging...packaging is definitely a big deal for me. I love looking at pretty things but let's face it; the packaging has to be functional too right?? The preserving cream (which is the pot on the left) is great! It's a good size, not too big or too small, and it's also functional. It also comes with a spatula (which isn't pictured) for hygienic use. However, this is the big downer for me. The packaging of the youth preserving cream (on the right) didn't work. I don't know if the pump of all of these are finicky or what, but mine stopped working after using it a couple times. Therefore, I only got to try this eye cream a couple times so I don't honestly feel comfortable reviewing it for you. Trust me, I tried to get this product out in every way I could. I tried shaking it, storing it upside down, pumping and shaking, EVERYTHING. It just didn't work. It does look beautiful, but what's the point if it stops working? Maybe it's the specific bottle I got...(Also, the crack happened after it stopped working)

Purpose

For the rest of this review, I'll just be referring to the Adorlee Youth Preserving Eye Cream since I wasn't able to try the other one. This cream is meant for using at night time and helps reduce puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles. It also contains ingredients such as hyaluronate acid, coconut oil, white tea, ginseng, and aloe vera. On top of that, they have a patented combination of ingredients called Eyeliss, which is unique to their eye cream. I took this from their website: 

"Clinical tests show 70% of users experience visibly reduced under eye puffiness **20 Female volunteers, aged between 40 and 60 presenting chronic bags under the eye area. Twice daily application for 56 days of a gel containing 3% Eyeliss™"

Directions

After you've cleansed your skin in the morning, pat the cream under your eyes and avoid your tear ducts and eyes. This was where it got interesting.. I actually couldn't use this in the morning. It burned when in the sun and when I would sweat (during workouts and such!). So I actually used this at night. I also couldn't use this on my eyelids. It would burn that area too and when I emailed the company to find out more information on the burning, they let me know it was most likely caused by the retinol in the cream. 

Results

I did notice reduced puffiness and I gave my mom some to use to see if it would work on her fine lines. After she used it, she said she did notice a reduction in puffiness and she thinks it works on her fine lines a little bit. Out of curiosity to see if she actually liked it, I asked if she would buy it and what was the most she would pay for it. She said $40, which is great because the cream is $39! By the way, my mom had the same issues with burning and could only use it at night and under her eyes like me. 

Texture

The consistency of this cream is on the lighter side. I like this because it absorbs into the skin really quick and doesn't feel like it's sitting on my skin.

Overall

Keep in mind, I'm just going to give you my overall thoughts on the youth preserving eye cream since I couldn't try the other one. 

Packaging: ****

Benefits: ****

Results: ***

Price: ***

Texture: ***

Overall: ***

Want to buy this cream or check it out yourself? Here's their website!

https://www.adorlee.ca

Korean Skincare 101: How to Properly Remove Your Makeup

For the longest time, removing makeup was a misery to me. I didn't want to do anything to damage my skin, but boy, trying to remove all of my makeup (which is usually waterproof/stubborn) is a hassle for sure. This is the method I use to remove my makeup, which is fairly quick and does a good job of getting rid of all my makeup without destroying my face!

Let's get to the breakdown...

Step 1: Point Makeup Removal

Since your lip and eye makeup is usually the most stubborn, you'll want to start with that first. I use a point makeup remover (my favorite is the SkinFood Milk Shake Point Makeup Remover) and put some on a flat cotton pad. I then hold it over my eye for 30 seconds, which allows the makeup remover to dissolve some of the makeup. 

You then went to gently swipe the excess eye makeup off with the pad. Be gentle! 

Step 2: Cleansing Balm/Oil

At this point, I'm usually in the shower because for me, it's just easier to do the rest while I'm showering. But next, I use a cleansing balm or oil to break down my face makeup and the rest of my eye makeup. I've been using this one from Skinfood, which is their Black Sugar Deep Cleansing Balm, but my personal favorite is Banila Co's Clean it Zero! Massage your skin with the product until you feel like your makeup has loosened up. 

 When I go over my eye area, I use my finger tips to gentle massage my eyelashes to get all the mascara off. Then rinse!

Step 3: Remove Left-Over Eye Makeup

 Oh, eye makeup, you never like coming off my face easily. I usually have to go back with a little bit of my point makeup remover and some q-tips and gently remove anything left around my eyes. 

 Step 4: Cleanse Your Face

Time for deep-cleaning! I've been using this cleansing brush (You can buy it HERE and use code "BeautyBreakdown" for 70% off! Holy Crap! Don't buy it full price! haha). I usually use the rubber brush because it's gentler on my skin from day-to-day, but in this video I used the grey brush. 

Step 5: Rinse

Finally, rinse your skin and pat dry! Apply your toner and the rest of your skincare and you're good to go :) Happy makeup removal! 

xoxo, 

Morgan