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.

Travel Pics- Funny English T-Shirts in Korea

T-shirts with English graphics are quite popular in South Korea.  While they may look pretty cool, they often say strange, random, or hilarious things.  One day, my boyfriend sneakily snapped a few pics as we strolled through the discount shopping malls at Dongdaemun.  This is just the tip of the iceberg...over the couple of months I was in Seoul I saw countless examples like these.  Hope you enjoy and get a little laugh!

Review-Tony Moly Lip Tint Minis

Tony Moly Lip Tint Cherry Red

I am in awe of the sweet and natural looking beauty of Korean "Ulzzang" girls.  Ulzzang means "best face" in Korean and is a term used for both girls and guys who gain fame due to their physical attractiveness and cute style. 

Ulzzangs often use lip stains to achieve a gradient pink effect that is beautiful on them.  I found some Korean-style lip tint by Tony Moly on ebay.  It cost about $3.50 for two mini bottles of the lip stain, including shipping from South Korea, and they even threw in 2 small sample packets of Korean skincare products.  Since the price was so low, I decided I had to try it for myself.  

The first time I applied the product, I thought I liked it.  I applied it only on the inner part of my lips, ulzzang style. Even though on me it didn't look the slightest bit like the pictures, I thought the way it added a little bit of reddish color looked pretty good.  I like the red lips that are popular right now, but I think dark red lipstick makes my small thin lips look sort of mean. I thought the lip stain was a cuter fresher take on red that could actually work for me.

The second time I tried out the Tony Moly Lip stain, I was out with my sister when she said, "Your lip is bleeding!" LOL. Not the look I was going for...

At that point, rather than give up my quest for ulzzang beauty, I decided to consult some makeup tutorials for help.  There were plenty of tutorials from beautiful Asian girls who used tons of products such as concealer, matte lipstick, gloss, and balm along with the lip tint in order to mimic the lip look I desired.  In the end their actual results weren't much different from my "bloody" lips, except for the fact that the bloggers were beautiful ulzzang-esque girls with pillowy popsicle-stained pouts, and I was, er...just regular old me with bloody-looking lips!

 I couldn't be bothered with the zillion steps the makeup gurus suggested.  So, I decided maybe I could make it work if I just added a pinkish gloss on top.  I used this Innisfree gloss I got as a gift from my coworker in Korea.

This gloss appears really bright, but the color is almost clear with a slightly pink tinge.  That helped, but the glossiness doesn't really capture the look I was going for.  

I wore the lip stain and gloss combo out to dinner last night.  No one told me my lip was bleeding, which was a good sign.

I think it might take awhile to get the hang of using lip stain, and the results seem to be kind of unpredictable.  I will probably continue to experiment with this product, but as of now, I feel that it just isn't for me.  I believe I can make it work, but I won't ever achieve a look similar to the pictures.  As much as I had hoped that this product would transform me into a gorgeous ulzzang girl...it didn't happen! hahaha. 

For $3.50, I guess it was worth a try.

     

Travel Pics-Sunrise over the East Sea

 While traveling the East Coast of Korea, my boyfriend and I went to watch the sunrise over the East Sea.  It was such a romantic and breath-takingly gorgeous morning.  

Pretty and Professional in 2013

This month, I begin the exciting transition into a professional career.  2013 is the year for me to start building a winning work wardrobe.  I truly believe that looking the part is the first, and easiest, step to a successful career.  So, to motivate myself for this new time in my life, I created this collection of work wear inspired by Korean fashion and the pretty professionals I saw in downtown Seoul.  I really love their delicate and feminine take on career fashion! 

Professional Dresses by artaslife featuring a belt dress

Pretty Professional Blouses by artaslife featuring theory

Professional Skirts by artaslife featuring a lace skirt

professional pants by artaslife featuring skinny pants

Professional bags by artaslife featuring monogrammed totes

Professional shoes by artaslife featuring platform pumps

Professional accessories by artaslife featuring a matte brown eyeshadow

So, do you have any major life changes to dress for this year? 

Travel Pics- A Walk in the Korean Countryside

Last summer, while in Korea, I went to my boyfriend's hometown.  It is a little town called Munui located about one and a half hours from Seoul.  On the second day of our trip, my boyfriend had to help his mother by working in her restaurant.  I was alone in the house and bored of watching Korean TV, so I did something very unusual for me, I decided I was going out to explore his town by myself.  I love to travel, but rarely do anything alone if I can avoid it.  For some reason, though, I felt compelled to get out and see the sights.  I made my way down to a lake with mountains that I had spied earlier, and followed a path back into the woods... That is where I stumbled upon this magnificent scenery.  The farther I walked, the more beautiful it became.  I'm so happy I took that opportunity to see this charming town, and now I am sharing it with you.  Hope you enjoy my pictures.