Over the past few months I got to try out the Botanical Green Tea BB Cream in No. 21 (light beige) from Nature Republic. Please keep in mind that people's skins are different and this is my own experience with this product.



  To start with, the outside packaging art gave a natural feel with the light-green flowing leaves. The box also states in Korean that it has contains no parabens, tar color, mineral oil, benzophenone, talc, or triethanolamine which is great. A website selling this item also states that it contains Jeju green tea extract 250 ppm. I like the pump which allows me to dispense product easily.
 
 I have been using it over winter because of the light color, but I think this is better suited for the summer due to its lightweight texture. It also contains SPF 30. 

My first impression of the BB cream when I first dispensed it is the smell. It does not smell like green tea and if it does, has been infused with some other fragrances. It's not strong and smells refreshing to me. 





When it's on my skin, it feels matte. In fact, a little too matte that it gets a bit cakey on my face. Normally I have no complaints because Korean cosmetics and skincare are great, but I have to say this is actually the worst BB cream I've tried so far. This winter has been one of the coldest and I took extra measures to keep my face moisturized.* After applying this BB cream, there always seems to be pieces of dry skin visible on my face. I don't want to scare anybody so I'll spare readers a picture of what that looks like. 

I am displeased with the fact that this product accentuates dry skin that I didn't know I even had, and I exfoliate regularly.  Bottom line is if Nature Republic can solve that issue, I would buy it because the color, consistency, and scent are all great to me. If you check out different reviews of this product, it's actually worked well for some others.

Rating: 7/10
 
* To give some background info, the Northeastern part of the U.S. has experienced one of the coldest winters in 2014-2015 even though overall the world has experienced the warmest winter on record. I am also of East Asian descent, which may be a contributing factor to the genetics of my skin.

Disclaimer: The product was not sponsored and this is my honest review. 

* ི•̮͡ુ -ુ ྀෆ⃛* Shelley  ི-̮͡ू -ू ྀ


See Also:
Tony Moly Bbo Bbo Lip Balm Review
innisfree haul and review 
3 Concept Eyes Haul (and mini review) 
Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam Review (and Los Cerritos Center Mall location pictures)

Do not take without proper credit!
Image Credits: en.koreadepart.com, me
11:12
After posting so much on Korean clothing brands, I had the opportunity to order from us.wconcept.com and check out a piece of Korean brand clothing myself. The following will be a review on the website's customer service and how the sweatshirt is.


Countless K-pop idols have worn this Love City design by the brand Nohant (Gikwang, Yunho, and Taeyong to mention a few).

Shout out to PunkyPrincess92 for letting me review this!

I ordered the Nohant Love City Seoul Sweatshirt in gray (this one). If you sign up at http://us.wconcept.com, you receive a 30% off coupon which is what I did. The order took about two and a half weeks to arrive which is what I expected due to the delay mentioned in the item description. For me, there were no issues ordering from them. The box came in pristine.



 
The tissue paper in the package shows a touch of professionalism.
 

 

Even though there are models wearing pictures of the item on the website, I wanted to see how it fit on the average non-model person. It was pleasant to find out that the sweatshirt was true to size for an American (Many times, a size large in East and Southeast Asia is a size small in the U.S.). 
I am 5 feet 4.5 inches / 164cm tall and an American size small. I ordered the medium and it was pretty roomy, check out the photos for yourself:


 
 


  I like this sweatshirt because it is a timeless classic-looking piece where fashion snobs won't go, "That's so old, it came out like 10 seasons ago." The font and color are classy, yet not distinct enough for the general population to outright know you are crazy about K-pop (unless you want everyone to know).

It's perfect for a casual autumn day outside, going to class, or just lounging around. My pictures had to be taken indoors because it was snowing heavily outside and was like 14°F / -10°C at the time.

The material is on the heavier side, not super thick but definitely not thin. The print seems to be sturdy and doesn't look like it will peel off anytime soon.

The only thing that surprised me which the website did not tell you was that the inside is not fleece but rather woven cotton. For someone with sensitive skin like me, I find it to be itchy and scratchy. However, that can be solved by wearing another layer underneath such as a T-shirt. This particular sweatshirt was not too bad, but if the material were any rougher I probably would not wear it often myself. Reader PunkyPrincess92 tried this sweatshirt on and doesn't mind it so it really depends on your preference. In fact, she loves it!




Do you own any Korean brand clothing? If so, what do you own and how is it? I'm curious to know!
 
Disclaimer: Neither us.wconcept.com nor Nohant paid for me to write this review.


Shelley ʚ♡⃛ɞ(ू•ᴗ•ू❁) 


Do not take without proper credit!
Image Credits: me (Shelley)
14:23

Klenspop graciously sent me a pair of circle lenses to review. They let me pick a pair and I went with the EXY 3 COLOR Gray. Here are all the colors they offer from the same circle lens series.
 

Circle lens information
Brand: MI GWANG
Power Range: 0.00
Diameter: 14.0 mm
Graphic Diameter: 13.2mm
Base Curve Radius: 8.6 mm
Water Content: 38%
Disposable: 1 year
Country of origin: South Korea 
Certifications: ISO CE KGMP
 



 The package arrived pretty quickly after they contacted me. From Korea to the United States, it took less than 2 weeks.



 
Inside, it is packaged neatly and well. 




Taken out of box. Bubble wrap protection is good!
 


 
Bubble wrap taken off. Front of the box! (Doesn't she remind you of Taeyeon a little bit? If not then well... it's just me) 
 


 
Back of the box! How nice of them to include directions and cute diagrams, especially for first-time users.
 



Contents inside the box include
- tweezers (used instead of fingers to grab the lenses)
- contact lens case
 - circle lenses



 
So excited to try them on! Here we go! 



 
I used my fingers to take the lenses out of the bottle so I could rinse them in contact solution before putting them in the case. As soon as I touched them, I could tell that the lens are good quality. They felt thick and not flimsy whatsoever. It has a soft, gelatin-like texture.



 My eyes without lenses



 
One eye with a circle lens and one eye without one for comparison




My eyes with Klenspop circle lenses
 
Comfort Level 5/5 
The way the lens felt on my eyes were the way I expected them to feel - quite comfortable. They felt like excellent quality in my hands and on my eyes. Also, easy to put on. No complaints!

Design and color 5/5
I'm loving the color. From the outside edges towards the center, the color gradually gets lighter which is very natural looking. The beautiful, simple but elegant design further makes the lenses look natural. The little spaces between the gray are clear, letting some of my brown eye color show. Doesn't it look like I could've been born with these lenses for my eyes? 

Overall 5/5
This pair of lenses is one of the high quality items that Klenspop offers, which I can attest to after trying them on. The enlargement effect is very slight, which is great since I prefer a more natural look. I actually find huge "dolly" eyes on humans a little scary. These are the kind of colored lenses that are great for a casual day, where you can change up the way you look subtly. I think these are excellent for people with dark eyes (which is the majority of the population). Most likely the gray will appear lighter on those with lighter eyes since these lenses are not opaque. All in all, EXY 3 COLOR has my seal of approval and I recommend these!

 Disclaimer: Klenspop has sponsored the lens, but this is my own honest review.

Shelley ✩*⋆⍋☃❄   

Also See:
Pinky Paradise Circle Lens Review 

Do not take without proper credit!
Image Credits: Klenspop, me (Shelley)
17:13
Merry Christmas (to those who celebrate it)!!
At this time of the year where I live, the winters are cold and the air is dry which make my lips chapped. When I was in Sephora, I was surprised to see that such a high-end retailer carried Tony Moly (only one item, but still). Thinking that the quality should be better than their normal products, I picked up the Tony Moly Bbo Bbo Lip Balm in honey and tried it out. 

Right off the bat, the cute shiny packaging gave the product a look and feel of sleekness. It's more shiny than pictured on the Sephora website.



Upon opening it, the balm smelled exactly like honey. It was exciting to try this out as I've never had any beauty product honey-flavored or honey-scented before. Out of all the lip balms I've tried, the consistency is more on the thick side. Looking at the reviews on Sephora, it's either a hit or miss. I think it was a hit for me as it definitely was not a miss. I found it hydrating and stays on if you don't constantly rub, bite, or lick your lips like the K-pop boys do in music videos. I'm just a tad disappointed that it's $9 for such little amount of product. Also if you have sanitary issues with using hands to apply this kind of lip balm, there is less chance of germs touching your lips if you use your fourth/ring finger because you usually use your first/thumb, second/index, and third/middle fingers for touching everyday objects.



 A little random but I found that Urban Outfitters sells the Tony Moly Kiss Kiss Lip Scrub that has similar packaging design except in pink plastic.

My personal recommendations for having hydrated lips is using any of the lip balms from Rosebud Perfume Co. (click on any of the pictures below for a better look). I think they're more moisturizing than the Tony Moly Bbo Bbo Lip Balm.
 
A little holiday gift for the readers! K-world Style will be giving away two Tony Moly Bbo Bbo Lip Balms, one in honey and one in blueberry. Keep reading for entry rules!




TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ENTRY: 
 
1) Comment on this post answering this question:
Which is the best product that you have ever used to prevent chapped lips?
2) After commenting, enter your information into Rafflecopter. Winner will be contacted by email and will be given 48 hours to respond. Failure to respond will result another entrant to win the prize. 
3) There will be two winners. Our favorite comments will be selected as the winners. Each winner will be sent a random lip balm.
4) Giveaway runs from December 26, 2014 to January 1, 2014 11:59 EST
5) Open internationally.  
6) No P.O boxes.  
7) Multiple entries will lead to disqualification.  
8) No purchase necessary.  
9) The information you will have submitted will not be disclosed to any third parties.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ʕ•̫͡•ॽु✚⃞ྉ✲ﾟ*｡❄⋆ Shelley ⚛˳̊☃✼✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙

Also See:
Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam Review (and Los Cerritos Center Mall location pictures)
innisfree haul and review
3 Concept Eyes Haul (and mini review)
Haul & Review: Peach Edition 

Do not take without proper credit!
Image Credits: me, Sephora
21:26
 When I visited Los Angeles for KCONUSA 2014, I also explored the area and shopped in Los Cerritos Center Mall. In the mall, there is a Skinfood store and I happened to take some pictures of the very neat displays. The staff there was nice too! And with any purchase, you get free samples :D








Apparently there were only 6 Skinfood locations in the U.S. when I was there, and now it expanded to 9 (including 2 in my hometown on the East Coast). Do you have any Korean cosmetics stores where you live? If so, which ones?


 
As for the Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam, I like it. It did not dry out my face and left my face very smooth and matte, which is great for someone like me who has an oily T-zone. I can feel my skin tighten after use, which must mean my pores get smaller. Depending on whether you like the smell of eggs or not, as for me it pleasantly does not smell like eggs but instead has a light fresh fragrance. It lathers (doesn't really "foam") quite nicely and a little goes a long way. If you want to get one for yourself, feel free to click on the picture below. The package art has changed since I bought mine.
ʕ•̫͡•ॽु✚⃞ྉ✲ﾟ*｡❄⋆ Shelley ⚛˳̊☃✼✩ͯ•͙͙✧⃝•͙͙

Also See: 
innisfree haul and review
Haul: Memebox (Memebox #12)
3 Concept Eyes Haul (and mini review)
 
Do not take without proper credit!
Image Credits: me
20:51

Hey everyone! I'm back with another haul for you guys. This time round I'll be covering the Korean brand innisfree (spelt with a lowercase i).
So innisfree is a brand that focuses on the natural. They place emphasis on sharing the benefits of nature from the pristine island of Jeju to allow for vibrant beauty and pursue Eco-green life to preserve the balance of nature.
This can be seen in their simple packaging of their products which I really like and their use of recyclable bags.
A new store recently opened up in the mall where I worked at so one day after my shift I popped by and bought a few things.


Mineral Water Foundation

Despite all the craze of BB cream and CC cream, I never really got onto that bandwagon and because my skin is really sensitive, I didn't have a good impression on them. But, while I was in Korea last year I was introduced to this. 
It contains SPF13 with PA+ and I use the shade #13 White Beige (it's an exact match to my skin tone\o/).
The consistency is lightweight and applies on quite sheer. The foundation while buildable, may only be able to get to a (maybe) medium coverage. So if covering up enflamed pimples what you're looking for, it might not be for you. However, if you are looking to just even out your skin tone, it does a really good job and has a matte finish. It also does NOT (thankfully) have a yellowish or greyish cast after applying it. 
This is my holy grail foundation that I would use for everyday wear.


Mineral Moisture Foundation

Since I liked the previous foundation from them so much, I decided to try their Mineral Moisture Foundation too. The packaging reads 
"This highly enriched moisture foundation covers your skin with dewy moisture as if applied with essence." and it comes with SPF34 and PA++
I decided to go with the shade #C1. This stands for Cool 1 and they have both warm and cool tones in shades 1 to 3. Sadly, it isn't an exact match to my skin as the previous foundation but it is pretty close.
Upon application, there is an immediate difference in the consistency. This foundation is slightly thicker and oilier, probably due to the higher sunblock content. A slightly higher coverage but I would still put it as sheer to medium coverage.
It does give you the dewy look that Korean make up loves giving you.
Here are the swatches of the two foundations on my hand on. On the left is the mineral water foundation and the right is the mineral moisture foundation. As you can see the difference is minute but the second one is the slightest bit more yellow based.


Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask

Part of their reknowned Jeju Volcanic range. It does not have any artificial smell and is really gentle on the skin. 
It has no artificial fragrance, parabens or artificial pigments. Nor does it contain Benzephenone, Ethanol, animal ingredients or mineral oil. This results in the mask itself being a very thick greyish cream. 
It applies on your skin very smoothly and after drying, it hardens but it doesn't harden so much that you can't move your face.
**One thing that I will have to say is that although there is no smell after the mask starts to dry, on initial application the mask does have a bit of a sulphur smell so for those who are allergic to sulphur or minerals related to sulphur, best to stay safe and not try it.
After using the product for a while I do notice a small difference in my skin. It has less patches of irritated redness popping out and my skin looks cleaner and brighter.
It also works well as a spot treatment. Just leave a tiny bit of the product on your pimple overnight and the next morning you do see quite a big difference.
It's a good dupe for the Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque.


Colour Glow Lipstick 
Remember this iconic picture? The shade that Yoona is wearing is #6 Maple Burgundy Pink. Even though it came out last year, this shade is still very much wearable this fall as the point colour for lips this fall season is a Merlot tone, which is a slight blue tinged red or purpleish tone. The lipstick itself contains Camellia Oil extract which adds a slightly moisturising tinge to it without being sticky. 

I personally like the fact that you can layer the colour to whatever suits you so it can go from a day to night make up.However, if you wish to apply a full lip colour, you might have to use a lip brush as it's not easy to outline your lips just using the product itself.
It is a beautiful colour though.
Here's a picture of the colour in natural lighting as well as a swatch.



 Camellia Shine Hair Essence


The product comes in a translucent red plastic bottle but the serum itself runs clear. It comes with a pump which makes it very manageable.
The directions on the bottle itself read that we are to use the product after shampooing and drying your hair with a towel. Two pumps of the product can be used for the whole head of hair.
 However, if you do have longer or thicker hair, you should probably use as you see fit.
Camellia is a very popular ingredient to hair care producs in Japan as brands such as Shiseido Tsubaki and Shu emura incorporate it into their hair products as well.
From what the store assistant shared with me, the essence is good for people who have dryer or damaged straight hair. Which is good for me as I have colour damaged straight hair. As a person who doesn't even use conditioner I was able to really see the difference this product did to my hair. Not only does the product detangle my hair but it makes it more manageable as well. It also is softer and glossier than before. 
I like that it has all these benefits with such a lightweight serum and after applying your hands don't have the sticky, oily thick residue that some serums leave you with.

Just a disclaimer that this is not a sponsored post. 
None of these products were sponsored or given for free.
Also, each person may take to different products differently so this is just my take on them.
I do have more hauls coming up soon.
 
Cheers!
Lyn

Do not take without proper credit!
Image Credits:
Me :D, innisfree

Also See:
3CE Haul and mini review
Haul and review: Peach edition
09:09

StyleNanda is a hugely popular Korean brand that has made multiple appearances on our site. 
Its make up range, 3 Concept Eyes, has three different theme colours: Pink, Orange and Beige.
Today, I'll be sharing you some of the things I picked up while I was in Seoul.
As you can see below, I'm going with the pink theme.


1. 3 Concept Eyes Tinted Lip Balm
I love the glossy finish the packaging has and the sleek tube the lip balm is stored in.
The formula is not as moisturizing as I would have expected from a lip balm, but it does tinge your lips a very pretty light pink colour. Plus, after applying this you do not need to worry about it smudging or getting strands of hair stuck to your lips.
If you have dry/chapped lips or live in a climate that is dry, it might not be the one for you. 


2. 3 Concept Eyes Lip Marker in #Pink
The packaging, unlike the previous item, has a matte finish rather than a glossy one. However, the design of it remains classy and understated. Which is refreshingly different from most other South Korean cosmetic brands.
The marker itself gives you lips a very natural finish. It is a baby pink colour with a tinge of red undertone.
Not too runny or too thick, it remains on your lips. It also has no artificial fragrances.


3. 3 Concept Eyes Lip Pigment in #MellowPink and #ElectroPink
With both colours, a little goes a long way. The consistency is much thicker than the lip marker or tinted lip balm and you only need a little to cover most of your lips. They remind me a lot of the Etude House Water colour blusher in the way it applies. Definitely lasts and you could wear it out the whole day.


4. 3 Concept Eyes Nail Lacquer in #GN05
A striking turquoise shade, it applies on your nails very cleanly and the consistency is smooth. It requires a second coat to evenly distribute colour but if paired with a proper top coat, the nails do not chip even after a week should you handle them properly. :)

Here are some swatches of the products. Please ignore how dry my hand looks (/)_(\).
Maybe I should do a hand cream haul next.



Note that this post was not sponsored in any way and these items were purchased myself.

Cheers!
Lyn

Do not take without proper credit! 

Also See:
Haul and Review: Peach Edition
Haul: Memebox (Luckybox #3)
01:23
This is the Peach Edition of Korean brand skincare! (Does anyone want to see makeup reviews or are there enough out there? Let me know!)

 

The first item I will review is the SkinFood Peach Sake Emulsion. 

Description: Skin Food Peach Sake Emulsion tightens pores and keeps skin looking matte and fresh. Enriched with Vitamin C emulsion that contains peach extract and sake to control oily skin, peach extract soothes and calms skin irritations, while sake regulates sebum production to keep skin matte and fresh looking without need of constant touch-ups. Suitable for oily and acne skin / combination skin.


I have combination skin and I must say it works very well. My skin felt softer and smoother after using this over a period of at least 5 months. It smells great, like peach with a hint of sake. I would describe the smell as mature. The emulsion doesn't make my face greasy and gives the right amount of moisture in the hot, humid summer and cold, dry winter. The bottle isn't even 1/4 used yet, so a little goes a long way. The skin can only absorb so much and overapplying product is wasteful because the excess would just sit on top of the skin only to be washed off later. The texture of this emulsion is thin and liquidy, so it flows out of the bottle easily. The bottle is made out of glass so it needs to be turned upside-down for product to come out. Emulsion is moisturizer + serum, so I guess this is a 2-in-1 product. The trend nowadays are 2-in-1, 3-in-1, and even 4-in-1 products where you buy one item and it does multiple things so you can eliminate steps in your skincare routine. 


The second item is the TONYMOLY Peach Hand Cream (buy here).

Description: A nourishing and moisturizing hand cream enriched with peach and apricot extracts for instantly softer, smoother hands. Massage into skin for major results.


After applying, this stays on my hands for a pretty long time which is a good thing. It does the job of moisturizing my hands. I read that it also brightens and firms the skin but I haven't used it enough to see noticeable results. The smell is very sweet and to me sometimes sickening because it's overwhelmingly fragrant. The peach scent is artificial and if it was made into a perfume or body spray, it's something teenyboppers would wear. Many people like the smell, so it's really individual preference.


Disclaimer: The products were not sponsored and these are my honest reviews.

  (๑◕ฺ‿◕ฺ๑) Shelley

Do not take without proper credit!
Image Credits: me, oo35mm for description 

Also See: 
Korean Cosmetics & Beauty Products at Urban Outfitters
18:39
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