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?   

Review: Innisfree It's Real Avocado Mask

Photo from Amazon.com

One day, while I was working in Korea, my friends and I took a spur of the moment trip from our small town to the nearest city for a "Sex in the City" girls' night.  We had coffee, shopped, grabbed a few drinks, and talked about guys.  We had so much fun that we decided to do a girls night in as well, so, we stopped at the Innisfree store to pick up some face masks.  Since I couldn't read any of the packaging, I chose the avocado mask because I knew that avocado is soothing and moisturizing.  Unfortunately, our girls night in never happened, and I completely forgot about this mask until I found it just recently, tucked in with a bunch of my beauty samples.  

Last night, I decided to finally give the mask a try. So, I thought I'd do a quick review.

The mask is one of those white paper masks that is covered in beauty essence.  I applied the mask, then went to scare the bejeezus out of my sister with my new Jason-inspired look. (hehe)  

The essence was clear, yet a little thick, and had a slightly greasy feel.  The scent of the mask was pleasant, yet unremarkable.  It was not overpowering and smelled fresh, if anything.  The instructions said to leave it on for 10-20 minutes.  I left the mask on for about 15 minutes.  I removed it and rubbed the remaining essence into the skin on my face and neck.  At first, I thought it was too moisturizing for my normal skin, but the essence promptly soaked into my skin.  Still, it seemed a little too heavy for me, and I predicted that I would wake up with oily-feeling skin.  However, I was surprised when this was not the case this morning.  My skin feels smooth and good, not at all greasy.  Overall, I am pleased with the results of this mask and I would use it again, although only during winter months.

I'm glad I didn't use this mask when I originally intended to use it: during the oppressively hot and humid Korean summer.  Even though I was happy with the results, I think this mask is best-suited for drier skin types.  It worked fine for me because my skin is somewhat drier during the winter, but I would advise anyone with combination or oily skin to steer clear of this one!  It is gentle, yet quite moisturizing, so if you are looking for a treatment to calm dry irritated skin this mask should be perfect for you.

So, do you like to use special treatments such as facial masks, or couldn't be bothered?  What is your favorite deep treatment product?  
    

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?

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!

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.  

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.