Review-Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose: Petal Skin, Serum, and Emulsion

Hi everyone!  Today I have a review of some items from Holika Holika's Bulgarian Rose skin care line.  I received these samples of the Bulgarian Rose Petal Skin, serum, and emulsion when I made a purchase in a Holika Holika store in South Korea.

So, first up is Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Petal Skin

This is what Holika Holika's US website has to say:

Bulgarian ‘damask’ Rose, has been cultivated since the 16th century, it is considered to produce the finest quality essence. Holika’s Bulgarian Rose oil and Rose Water is from the Valley of Roses in the Kazanlak town and is made with the most delicate process. It provides a high-moisturizing effect and provides marvelous beauty to the skin. Bulgarian Rose is the same beauty secret that Cleopatra’s used.

Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Petal Skin is an alcohol free blend of hydrating and toning rose floral waters, enriched with real rose petals. This gentle floral water hydrates the skin and tones complexion. It’s natural aroma adds a mood-enhancing dimension to the experience.

Benefits:

• Hydrates
• Tones
• Firms

How to Use: Every day after cleansing, pour a small amount into a cotton pad and gently wipe over face and neck.

And this is what I have to say about Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Petal Skin:

Well, first and foremost, the thing I love the most about this product line is the scent!  I can't say I'm a huge fan of floral scents, but this smells amazing!  Usually floral-scented products have a chemical floral smell along the lines of air freshener.  Bulgarian Rose, however, smells like a bouquet of fresh roses.  It is soft, natural, and absolutely lovely!

"Petal Skin" is the toner step of this line.  I really liked this toner because it smelled wonderful and did not dry my skin in the least, unlike many other toners I have tried.  It left my skin feeling fresh and clean but not dry or tight.  

Next up is Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Serum.

This is what the Holika Holika website says:

Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Serum has an extraordinary intensive moisturizing effect for normal to dry skin, contains precious Bulgarian Rose Water and rose essential oil that leaves the skin rejuvenated and helps to retain moisture. It is also infused with other ingredients such as Nutritive Oil complex and Manuka honey that revitalize and the nourish skin.

Benefits:

• Moisturizes
• Rejuvenates
• Nourishes

How to Use:

After using Rose Skin, moisturize daily by applying an even layer to cleansed face.

This is what I have to say about the Bulgarian Rose Serum:

My skin is just not dry enough to need both a serum and emulsion, so while the directions say to use toner, then serum, then emulsion, I used just toner and serum, and tried the toner/emulsion combo on a seperate occasion.

The serum was thinner than lotion with a clear-ish white appearance. It had the same awesome scent as the petal skin. I smoothed it on to my face and it left my skin feeling moisturized without being overly moisturizing. I liked the results of just the petal skin and serum. I woke up the following morning with smooth and fresh skin. I would recommend this serum if you have normal to dry skin, especially if your skin is more on the dry side. This line is definitely a moisturizing line and not appropriate for oily skin.

Finally, there is the Bulgarian Rose Emulsion.

This is what the website has to say:

Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Petal Emulsion contains 20% Bulgarian rose water and rose essential oil. It leaves your skin perfectly hydrated, soothes, softens, and prevents skin dehydration. This emulsion does more than just moisturizes, it also firms and provides a better overall skin complexion.  

Benefits:

• Hydrates
• Soothes
• Softens
• Moisturizes
• Firms
• Improves Skin Complexion

How to Use:

After serum/essence, apply an appropriate amount to entire face.

This is what I have to say about the Bulgarian Rose Emulsion:

As I mentioned, I did not use the serum and emulsion together, because I have normal skin and I thought the combination would make my skin get greasy.  The serum was a one-time-use pouch, but the petal skin and emulsion bottles were large enough that I was able to try the product for a few days.

I had high hopes for the Bulgarian Rose line...I am a big fan of Holika Holika in general, and I liked the pretty packaging and scent of this product.  Sadly, though, I think I finally discovered a Holika Holika product that is really not for me!  This emulsion comes out thick and white like lotion and has a bit of an oily feel to it.  The first night I used it, it was a bit greasy going on, but it absorbed and I woke up with moist but not quite oily skin.  On the second day of use, my skin felt a bit greasy the next morning.  I really wanted to like this, so I kept going...  By the third day, I was seeing some small pimples budding on my cheeks and had to quit.  The emulsion was just too much moisture for my normal skin.  

Don't get me wrong, everything about this line seemed up to the high standard I expect from Holika Holika, but I would only recommend the Bulgarian Rose to those with dry to very dry skin.  If you have normal skin, but still want to give it a try, I suggest going for the petal skin and serum and skipping the emulsion.  

So, have you tried the Bulgarian Rose line?  What did you think?   

Reveiw: Holika Holika Petit BB Moisture

Today I have a long-overdue review of my current BB cream... 

Holika Holika's Petit BB-Moisture

Here is the product description from Amazon.com:

Product Description

Holika Holika Moisture Petit BB Cream 30ML with Hyaluronic Acid SPF 30 PA++

Moisture petit BB helps make skin smooth and glossy. Hyaluronic Acid condition dry skin and make skin youthful while effectively protecting against UV-rays.

Moisturizing Effect - Clean and Clean Skin tone Elastic Enhancement - Anti-Aging and Wrinkle Improvement Smooth Skin Texture Hyaluronic Acid moisturizes the skin and enhances elastic fibers with collagen while supplying nutrients to the skin cells.

What I have to say about it:

I bought the Petit Moisture BB from the Holika Holika store in South Korea.  It was on the inexpensive side.  I believe I paid about $7-$8 US for this product.

I am already about halfway through the bottle.  The Petit BB line comes in 5 different varieties.  I have "normal" skin but chose the "moisture" formula because some of the names seemed like they might be shimmery or for oily skin, and a couple I wasn't sure what they were for.

As I have said on my other Holika Holika reviews, I thought that because this company is geared towards younger women that the products would be more about marketing and packaging than quality, but with the Holika Holika products that I have tried, that has not been the case at all.  All of the items I have tried have been surprisingly good quality, and this BB is no different.  

The Petit Moisture BB is somewhat thin and watery coming out of the tube and offers a lighter coverage than some others I have tried.  It spreads really smoothly and evenly.  It comes in one color, which is a light beige with a golden undertone.  It blends quite well with my skin.  It is not overly pale like some BBs that I have seen, but I don't think this would work well for deeper medium to darker skin tones.  Here is a swatch so you can get an idea of the texture and color of the product.

I started using the Petit BB back in the late winter/early spring when the weather was colder.  Previous to that I was using a Nature Republic BB.  The Holika Holika Petit BB gave a lighter coverage and dewier finish than my former BB cream.  While the finish was not matte, I did not find that it made my skin oily or my face shiny.  I used it through winter and spring weather, and I thought it was great.  However, since the summer began and the heat and humidity have kicked in, it is proving to be too moisturizing for my skin.  I don't think this is a fault of the product, but rather due to the fact that my skin is oilier in the summer.  Since I started using BB cream 2 years ago, I usually switch to a powder compact over the hottest part of the summer.  So far though, because this product has fairly light coverage, I have continued to use it.  Now, I just finish it off with a touch of powder compact makeup from Clinique to get rid of the shine. I really like the results.

The scent of this BB is pleasant.  It is fresh with a slight floral undertone.  One thing to note is that, while it isn't a strong scent, I feel like I can smell it on my skin longer than the fragrance of other BB's.  So I guess that could be a pro or con depending on whether or not you like the scented nature of BB cream.         

Overall, I like this product.  It is not my favorite BB of all time, but a good product none-the-less and worth a try if you are considering it.  I think it would work well for people with normal-dry skin, especially if your skin is more on the dry side.  It will probably work best for those with lighter to light-medium complexions.  I would not recommend it for anyone with oily skin, a darker skin tone, or who wants a totally matte finish.

Although Holika Holika produces some very nice skin care products, I do get the impression that this line is designed with youthful skin in mind.  The brand seems as if it is geared towards polishing already good skin rather than correcting unwanted skin issues.  If you need intense moisture or want to hide imperfections, I don't think you will get that result with this BB.  But if you just want to make the skin you have appear prettier and smoother, this is a good one to try!

So, have you tried any of the Holika Holika Petit BBs? What is your go to BB cream of the moment?

Review- Holika Holika The King of Bean Cleansing Foam

Today I have a brief review of Holika Holika's King of Bean Cleansing Foam.

I got this cleanser as part of this adorable little "Travel Special Kit" that I bought at the Holika Holika store in South Korea.  I got the kit thinking it was a great way to try out a variety of products, but then I tucked the set away with some other travel items and forgot about it.  When it turned up again, I was really happy to realize that I actually owned some of the Holika Holika products that I had previously sampled and liked. 

The travel kit contains small-sized versions of the following products:

• Aqua Fantasy Toner
• Aqua Fantasy Emulsion (check out my review HERE)
• Miracle Real Skin Finish (check out my review HERE)
• Bath Girl Candied Rose Body Wash
• The King of Bean Cleanser 

The kit features some drama or movie actors...K-Drama fans, I hope you will forgive me for not knowing who they are!

So, now onto my review of the King of Bean Cleansing Foam with Black Bean.

Since the packaging is all in Korean, I tried to Google some info about this product for you, but what I came up with was such a terrible English translation that it was just a waste of time to post it.   It said the cleanser contained "King Kong" extract. (OMG-WHAT IS IN THIS STUFF I'VE BEEN WASHING MY FACE WITH?!)  I'm hoping something was lost in translation there and that no enormous gorillas were harmed in the making of this product... 

Aside from the, er, unusual ingredients, this cleanser is what I have come to expect from a Korean facial cleanser.  It comes out of the tube thick and white and creates the lush and frothy foam that I know and love!  I am so spoiled by the richness of Korean facial cleansers that I think I will never go back to American products.  This cleanser is gentle but gets the job done.  I do not use a whole lot of heavy face makeup, other than eyeliner/mascara (which I remove with eye makeup remover) so the King of Bean effectively removes my makeup and leaves my face feeling fresh and clean.  If you wear a lot of foundation or other heavy makeup, you might need some additional makeup remover.  I find this cleanser to be gentler than my previous Missha Creamy Strawberry Latte Cleansing Foam.  The Strawberry Latte always left my skin feeling a little tight, but the King of Bean leaves my skin clean without drying it out.  So, I would recommend this product for those with normal-dry skin.  The scent of the cleanser is mild and pleasant.  It is mostly a light soapy smell mixed with a hint of sweet/yummy aroma.  Overall, the product isn't anything unique or outstanding, but I really like this basic facial cleanser and would highly recommend it.  Because of the youthful trendy vibe of their marketing, I assumed that Holika Holika products wouldn't be as high quality as other Korean brands, but I have been proven wrong! From my experience, all of their products have been stellar.  Holika Holika is a brand that I would buy without reservations. 

So what is your favorite facial cleanser? Why do you love it?

Review-Holika Holika Aqua Fantasy Cream

Hello everyone! Tonight I have a short review for you:

Holika Holika Aqua Fantasy Cream

The packaging says: 

"Fantastic moisture care with aqua energy of wonderland where those one icebergs and hot spring water."

Ummm....ok.

I got this sample from the Holika Holika store in South Korea last summer.  It is the last step of their 4-step Aqua Fantasy line (the moisturizer step).

Since I only had the cream, I used this sample with my normal face care routine: Missha Strawberry Latte face cleanser and Missha Super Aqua toner.  

Since Holika Holika is a newer company, and they seem to market to a young audience, I did not expect too much from their skin care lines.  I just thought they were all about cute packaging, trendy items, and good marketing.

This is the second skin care product I've tried from Holika Holika, and I must say, I'm pretty impressed by the quality I've seen from them so far!  

I have "normal" skin, not too oily, not too dry.  I use lotion in the winter to combat dryness, and either skip it or use lighter products in the summer.  Pretty much any skincare item with "Aqua" or something else in the name that implies water seems to work really well for my skin type. (For example, I LOVE anything that H2O makes.) This cream was no different...

I really liked it!    

The Aqua Fantasy cream was clearish-white and had a light gel texture.  It was obviously water-based, and not at all creamy or greasy.  It almost felt like a thick toner rather than a cream.  The smell was light and similar to that of other "marine" products.  It quickly absorbed and left my skin silky smooth and firm.  The next morning my skin was still silky with no added shine or oil. 

This is a great product that I would definitely buy.  If your skin can use a little moisture, but you don't like heavy products, this might be just what you are looking for!  I think it would make an especially great product for warmer weather, or more humid, tropical climates.  I could see myself using this in the summer months when my usual moisturizer is a little too much.

Have you ever purchased Holika Holika products?  What did you think?     

Review- Holika Holika Miracle Real Skin Finish

I recently wrote a post about my travel bag that made me realize that I should probably use the samples I've hoarded from my trip to Korea over the summer, before they are no good!  I have quite a stash, because in Korea they almost always give you a bunch of samples anytime you buy something. So, I will review the various samples for you as I try them.

First up is: 

Holika Holika Miracle Real Skin Finish- Normal/Dry Skin

First of all, I wasn't quite sure what exactly this product was for, since the sample packet had no English description.  Thanks to the magic of Google, I found this blurb on Amazon:

"Holika Holika Miracle Real Skin Finish cream is a dynamic, light-weight skin tone correction cream that also provides bright radiance, moisture and SPF protection (SPF 25) to your skin. Think of it as a super light BB cream that works to enhance the look of your natural, bare face."

I used the cream after cleansing and applying my usual Missha Super Aqua Toner.  And since I'm getting to be quite the beauty blogger these days (haha), I even snapped a quick swatch of what the product looks like before blending.  Because I was only using a sample packet, this was a pretty stingy swatch, but you are able to see that on first application, it looks almost like thick pearly lotion. 

The Miracle Real Skin Finish blended easily on my skin, and it dried to a very smooth silky texture.  It felt sort of matte.  I really liked the feel of the product on my skin, that was definitely the most unique thing about it.  It added a smooth, clean, and fresh texture.  This cream is supposed to "brighten" skin, and it did have a slightly lightening effect.  I noticed I looked a bit paler than normal.  My skin, as you can see, is very light to begin with, so I am uncertain how this would look on a darker skin tone.  The cream also added a subtle sheen, almost like a highlighter.  

The directions from Amazon suggested that it was meant to enhance a bare face.  I was on my way out when trying this, and I rarely go out without makeup, so I didn't want to use it alone.  I used it as a base for my Nature Republic BB.  The highlight effect of the Miracle Real Skin Finish continued to be visible with the BB cream.

Overall, I liked this product, but I would be unlikely to buy it for myself.  

I used to be a big fan of shimmering and highlighting face products, until I noticed that the  "shimmer" looked like "grease" in many of my pictures.  It is not something that I'd ever noticed in real life, but either way, these days, I stick with matte face products over shimmery or dewy ones.  That being said, I thought the shimmery brightening effect was pretty and soft.  It looked pretty both alone, and when used as a base.  I think the lightening/brightening effect of this product might be even more flattering on someone with a skin tone slightly darker than mine.  

Also, I would not buy this because I want more coverage than this product offers.  I don't use a primer before my BB cream, so for me, this product falls into the "great quality product, but not-too-useful" category.

I would recommend Holika Holika Miracle Real Skin Finish to those of you who aren't too big on wearing face make-up like powder, foundation, or BBs.  Applying this product is as simple as using face lotion! If you already have clear and attractive skin and tend to go sans makeup, but you want a no-fuss product that adds a little glamour to your look, this is a really great little cream! The ultra smooth texture also makes it a good base, if you regularly use base.