Miin Korean Cosmetics

If like me you are a bit of a fan when it comes to Korean Beauty, then Miin Korean Cosmetics is definitely somewhere not to be overlooked. Featuring a whole host of much loved Korean brands including Son & Park, Aromatica, Klairs and P:Rem, there is also a whole host of other brands to get to know and I am sharing some of them on the blog with you today which I have been kindly sent.

It is a known fact that the Korean skincare routine can include 10-11 different steps with cleansing, toning, masking and essence playing a huge part. From Miin Korean Cosmetics, all of their brands are 100% Korean, cruelty-free as well as being mostly natural and vegan.

I have been wanting to read The Korean Skincare Bible for some time and now I finally have my hands on it. Described as being the ultimate guide to K-beauty secrets, what it does is make understanding K-Beauty much less daunting that it needs to be. It is easy to read, easy to follow, packed with advice and tips.

The Korean Skincare Bible is available in Kindle Format or Hardback and it costs as little as £3.99 via Miin Cosmetics or Amazon.

Also included was the Freshen Up Body Wash by LoveBod. I absolutely love this body wash, everything about it from the scent to the feel of it on my skin. Described as being a hydrating, pH-balancing body wash to cleanse your skin in the shower.

The clear gel lathers up really nicely when it comes into contact with water and because one of its main ingredients is Moringa Seed Oil, I am sure you can imagine just how amazing it does smell!

Then we have Papaya-D Sun Cream SPF38 by Benton. I am really picky when it comes to Sunscreen, I don't like thick, greasy feeling creams on my skin at the best of time, but for some reason Sunscreen just lingers on the skin a lot longer.

From Benton, what I have loved about this product is that it uses Papaya Water, so it isn't a thick cream, it has a similar consistency to a face cream. Papaya Extract provides the skin with vitamins and antioxidants which in turn help promote cell renewal.  There is a slight floral scent to this SPF which I quite like and it is great for wearing with or without makeup of course, with makeup it doesn't affect application or how anything sits.

The final item in my little package comes from A. By Bom with the (2 step) Ultra Floral leaf Mask. I adore sheet masks, any excuse to lay down and take some time out whilst letting your skin have some goodness too.

This 2-step mask is a little more fun than others I have tried and totally different in application. It has two sections the first is flower patches which you apply to the areas of your face you want to give a little extra attention too - around the eyes and mouth for example. These little patches contain organic Floral extracts which includes Cherry Blossom, Peach Blossom, Lotus Flower and they are combined with pharmaceutical grade Niacinamide, to help brighten the skin and plump up fine lines. Then the sheet mask, which is a soft natural cellulose sheet, is saturated in lotion and is absolutely soothing and cooling when applied to the skin. 

If you are looking to learn more about the world of K-Beauty but are not too sure where to start, Miin Korean Cosmetics is a great place to begin. All of the products are really well placed and if you are unsure, then head to the tab titled 'Type of Skin' and that should help with your choices!

Have you ever used any K-Beauty products?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

It's Skin - Cookie & Hand Cream Strawberry

I love Korean Beauty, the whole subject just fascinates me and It's Skin is a brand I have started to get to know through various products, some of which I have featured on my blog such as Power 10 VC Cleansing Foam and Power 10 VC Effector Serum which I absolutely loved and I now have my eye on the Tiger Cica range, which sounds incredible. However, today it is the turn of Cookie & Hand Cream Strawberry (£9.50) which is one of three hand creams available from this range. 

Described as being a rich, sweet-smelling hand cream, it comes packaged inside a sturdy plastic tub, which could be forgiven for looking very similar to a tub of ice cream you might very well treat yourself too at the theatre. Once the lid has been removed, it looks very much like a dessert and smells good enough to be one, though the scent could have been a little bit fresher than it is.

The cream is said to instantly nourish and soften the skin and once applied, its ice-cream like texture, which is really easy to scoop out of the tub, melts onto the skin when it comes into contact.  What I like about the cream is that the little brown particles, which remind me of Oreo Cookie crumbs but they do have a purpose within this cream and that is to exfoliate the skin, which they sort of do, but because the pieces are not abrasive, they just dissolve and disappear on the skin.  The hand cream uses Macadamia Seed Oil and Shea Butter. Mango Seed Butter and Sweet Almond Oil gently nourishes and heals the skin.  

I have fairly dry hands, so I had hoped for a cream that would be intensely nourishing, but it isn't as good as I had hoped it would be, it is nice and I love the concept, but I just have better hand creams to use which work much better on my skin.  In its favour, it is lightly textured and it doesn't feel greasy or tacky on the skin and once it has absorbed, the scent only lingers for an hour max afterwards, so even if you didn't like the scent, it isn't too long lasting.

As mentioned, as well as being available in a Strawberry scent, there is also the option to have Mint or Original and you can find them right HERE* via Beauty Bay.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

No Poreblem New Products from touch In SOL

One of my favourite discoveries of 2018 has been touch In SOL, one that has allowed me to continue my obsession with all things Korean Beauty and one that has introduced new products that I didn't know I needed into my life. touch In SOL has appeared on this blog countless times and as a brand, it is described as one which embraces the spirit of Korean innovation, is fun, innovative and uses some of the most advanced technologies out there.

One of the most recognized products, the hero product if you like is No Poreblem. If you have never tried it then you need to, but alongside the primer are two more products that have joined the No Poreblem family and here they are.

First, we have the No Poreblem Priming Eraser, a product which is so different to a lot of primers I have ever used, this one comes in a stick format which makes it a perfect on-the-go companion. The stick itself is easy to grip and it is designed to help blur pores and conceal fine lines, it is also smoothing, mattifying and has a non-crease formula too.

The idea with this Eraser is that you use it as the final stage of your basic skincare. So once you have cleansed, toned, added serums and moisturising cream, you then, apply the primer to the areas of your face you wish to 'blur' in order to create that perfect canvas and then, using the opposite side of the pen where there is a smudging cushion, you even everything out. I prefer to use a beauty blender, but the smudger does work a treat.

If you have oily skin or, as in my case combination skin which leans to the oily side, then this Priming Eraser does an incredible job at mattifying and essentially absorbing all the excess sebum which lingers on the skin.

Secondly, is the newest arrival and that is the touch In SOL No Poreblem Priming Water - This is the product I have been the most excited about getting my hands on, ever since I was teased with it at a viewing! Described as being a base primer for hydration and the soothing of your skin, this priming water is like nothing else I have tried - and I've tried a lot of primers.

Using Bulgarian rose water, which is 100% pure and undiluted, is obtained by steam distillation from fresh rose blossoms and it smells exactly like walking through a rose garden, it is that incredible. The rose water is however there for a reason, the active ingredients provide both anti-inflammatory and soothing benefits for the skin which makes it work perfectly as a hydrating makeup primer and a mid-afternoon refresher.

It arrives in a squeezy tube and for me, there are two ways within which you can use it. Firstly, if you have clean hands, you can squirt onto the palms of your hands and pat onto the skin or you can do the exact same but with a cotton pad, it all comes down to preference but both options work just as well.  Unlike the Eraser, the priming water is designed to be used before you apply any makeup to give you that hydrated base.  What I love is how smooth my skin feels after using, it gives an almost identical feel to that I get when using a serum (which I use as well). 

Of course, the product which started it all off is the original No Poreblem Primer, the one item I have repurchased time and time again because it is that good. We all know that a good primer is an essential part of your arsenal if you want your makeup to sit right, last longer and look fabulous and for me, this is where No Poreblem comes to life.

If you have combination/oily skin and want to control that excess sebum, then this primer will tick all of those boxes. If you want to minimise the look of those pesky pores, again that is another tick in the box, obviously, it doesn't get rid of them, but it does minimise them. For me, I have combination oily skin and there are certain days of the month when I need all the help I can get to defeat that mid-afternoon shine and when that happens, No Poreblem is the primer for me. Enriched with Green tea extract which provides soothing antioxidant benefits, building an invisible barrier to the elements and Collagen which protects skin as well as helping it to look firm, smooth and healthy. 

touch In SOL have thought this through and have made this primer pump action, so it is easier to use, you can control how much or how little you need and there is then very little waste. To use, you only need a few pumps to ensure you cover the parts of your face that need it the most and once it has settled, it creates a really lovely velvety finish. This is one of my favourite discoveries to date.

Now available via ASOS, Feelunique. Cult Beauty, BeautyMart and Selfridges and it is priced at £18.

Have you tried anything from touch in SOL?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

J.One 'jelly pack' Multi-Functional Gel Primer

It is no secret that I am obsessed with Korean Beauty, anyone who reads my blog regularly will have noticed that not a week goes by when I don't have a Korean beauty product to share. Today it is the turn of J.One and the much coveted Jelly Pack Multi-Fictional Gel Primer, a product which was always out of stock whenever I tried to order it, even national newspapers reporting that not only did one tube sell every 15 seconds but in Korea over 5 million were sold within just three shows!

J.One is the brainchild of Korean actress and influencer Ha Ji-Won, the J.ONE collection, which grows by the week, contains a variety of multi-functional products which have been designed for people on the go. On a mission to continue to develop formulas that save time without compromising on quality and performance, this innovative brand is, like many other Korean brands, ahead of the curve. 

Described as being a multi-purpose anti-ageing mask and primer, it features a unique jelly formula that when applied, melts into the skin to brighten, plump and prep. Enriched with Fermented Black Tea and Peptides for anti-aging benefits, Hyaluronic Acid and Fullerene a carbon molecule which acts as a powerful antioxidant (also a Nobel prize winning ingredient) to hydrate as well as niacinamide to brighten and also Chamomile Flower Water to soothe and replenish.  All of these ingredients come together to infuse the skin with long-lasting moisture and hydration, whilst defending against pollution and environmental aggressors for a smoother, more refined complexion. As it is multi-functional there are two ways in which you can use it:

In the morning - After washing, cleansing and toner, to use J.One Jelly, you spread a thin layer onto the skin and gently pat it until it is fully absorbed.  A clear gel-like texture, it has a slightly tacky to the touch feel about it and having used it every day since it arrived and I just love how it feels. it grabs your foundation and grips it to the skin I have combination skin and that means dry cheeks, so most foundations can stick to that dry skin and ruin how my foundation sits. Not with this product, instead, that dry skin is non-existent as the foundation I apply sits on my skin as it does everywhere else on my face. Gone is the streaky look, this is literally a game changing product for me and I totally get the hype.

In the evening - Again you simply repeat the steps above with regards to completing your cleansing routine and again applying a thin layer, pat it onto the skin until it is absorbed and then leave it.  I am yet to give this a try because I am so impressed with how it works as a primer.

Now I know some of you will be thinking it is just a primer, and yes it is, but it is one of the best primers I have ever used in terms of makeup longevity. Just a few days ago I was up at 5am and working through the night until 9am the following morning, so having applied my makeup around 6am when I was ready to leave the house, come 10pm and having had a day of rushing around, my makeup was still in place, I hadn't suffered the mid-afternoon sliding off the face and with only a touch up of powder and lipstick needed, I am just so impressed. 

Found online in most stores a 30ml tube will cost £20 (here) and a 50ml tube £32 (here). 

Have you tried anything from J.One yet?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

TOUCH IN SOL Beauty Aid Cream

If you have dry, sensitive skin, then Touch In Sol have a product that you need to have in your stash and it is called All in 1 Beauty Aid Cream.  I make no secret of my obsession with this brand, every single product I have tried, I have been wowed by and it is one of the few brands I have made purchases from when I am close to running out of a product.

Hailing from South Korea, Touch In Sol has been designed to embrace the spirit of Korean innovation. Touch In Sol is fun, innovative and uses some of the most advanced technologies. If you know anything about Korean Beauty, you will be aware that they are very much ahead of us with their beauty innovations, so the chance to try them as soon as they hit the UK is quite special.

All in 1 Beauty Aid Cream is described as being an ultra-moisturising formula enriched with heavenly hydrators, it boosts skin’s moisture barrier to make it more supple, firm and healthy. It is these ingredients which include sugar cane, shea butter, birch sap, hazel, walnut and olive combine to nourish and hydrate the skin, while ceramides boost elasticity. Putting all of these together you have a product which is:

• Highly concentrated and nongreasy.
• Instantly calms and hydrates skin.
• Skin feels revitalised and smooth.
• Formulated for dry and sensitive skin.

I like to use this cream on the driest parts of the skin and that doesn't just mean on my face. I have used this on my hands, the heels of my feet and even on my shins. I have also used it on my face as an overnight treatment on my cheeks, which thanks to having combination skin, means they often feel dry to the touch.  It isn't too thick a texture that it leaves your skin feeling greasy, instead, it absorbs pretty quickly and leaves no trace behind.

I love that when I use this on my cheeks it also creates a perfect base for foundation. I find it helps prime my skin to prevent anything sticking to dry skin. It is a cream you don't have to apply absolutely everywhere, just to the places you feel your skin needs it the most and it is absolutely perfect for having in your bag, luggage and even on your bedside table.

You can find Beauty Aid on sale at Cult Beauty (here), FeelUnique (here) and ASOS (here) ranging in price from £22-£26.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

TOUCH IN SOL Metallist Shadow Liquid Foil & Glitter Duo + Giveaway

I don't think I need to mention how much of a fan I have become of the brand Touch In Sol by now but just incase you have no idea who or what I am talking about you can find reviews here, here and here on products I have been using from the brand. 

Today is a product that will appeal to just about everyone and it is a product I just cannot rave about enough and that is the Metallist Shadow Liquid Foil & Glitter Duo.

Combining foil and glitter shadows, this dazzling duo imparts rich, metallic pigment and stunning sparkle for truly show-stopping eye looks. In five gorgeously gleaming molten metal shades – from pale gold ‘Talia’ to burnt copper-bronze ‘Eldora’ – this is an effortless way to flatter and enhance your eyes, channelling some South Korean cool in the process.

Eye shadow is a product you can never have too much of but throw into the mix something which also combines the use of foil and glitter, well now you're talking. There are some brands who have some very good glitter shadows and then there is Touch In Sol and it is these ones which literally are the best I have tried. A dual ended product means that you have one end which is a super metallic creamy shadow and the other end is a glitter, that compliments the creamy side perfectly. Once on the eyes and the liquid has set this stuff does not budge, it doesn't fade and it doesn't crease. I also use a primer on my lids and having spent an entire day moving around London from meeting to meeting starting at 8.30am and getting home at 9pm, the last thing standing was my eye shadow.  It doesn't scratch, it doesn't itch, there is no chunky flakes of glitter which set awkwardly, everything about Metallist is easy to wear and comfortable.

I have five incredible shades which I have been trying out over the last few months and I am struggling to decide which one is my favourite:

• Margaret - Burnt Rose-Orange
• Eldora - Copper Bronze
• Adelio - Bronze Ruby
• Lottie - Dusky Mauve Rose
• Talia - Pale Champagne Gold

From the five above, Talia is the one I have worn the most during the daytime, but if you have seen me at events of an evening, then I have either worn Eldora or Lottie, it really depends on my mood but depending on yours you can mix and match them too.

The application of Metallist is really easy, ive seen a few people apply theirs slightly differently to have I do it, but it has to be what works for you.  Using the doe footed brush, I apply the creamy eyeshadow to my lids first (after priming) and then allow the shadow to almost dry, but not quite before adding the glitter.  When you add the glitter you can again use the spatula shaped applicator or depending on your preference your finger or a brush.  I always tap some of the glitter onto the back of my hand before applying, this then allows me to control where I want it to go, set and how I want it to look.  I can, then at any point apply more if I need too.

If I have managed to tempt you into trying Touch In Sol Metallist Shadows, then hold it right there because I have a giveaway for you over on my Instagram HERE and it is quite straight forward.

There is a whole host of Touch In Sol makeup and skin to be discovered over at Cult Beauty, ASOS and recently launched at Feelunique and honestly, it is a brand which continues to surprise me.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Touch In Sol Rouge Fondue Lipsticks

If you follow me on Instagram then you probably noticed that I have been quite excited by a brand called Touch In Sol. Created and founded in Seoul, South Korea and if you are a regular reader of my blog, then you will also know that I am obsessed with Korean Beauty. Said to embrace the spirit of Korean innovation, Touch In Sol is fun, innovative and uses some of the most advanced technologies and everything I have tried so far I have just absolutely loved. Using a whole host of natural, botanical ingredients, Touch In Sol aims to not only brighten up your day with fun products but with products that are functional and serve a purpose. 

I love lipsticks and Touch In Sol have an incredible range called Rouge Fondue which I am sharing with you today. Described as being lusciously nourishing and gorgeously glossy, Rogue Fondue lipsticks are enriched with a formula which includes Mango Seed, Shea and Coconut Butter as well as hyaluronic acid and hydrolysed silk, bringing all of these together you have a formula which both hydrates and cares for the lips.  The formula also features a 5-free formula which means there are no parabens, phenoxyethanol, mineral oil, triethylolamine and no EDTA.

There are seven shades within the Rouge Fondue range and there is definitely something for everyone whether you like a nude lip, something a little pink or something really bold.

• Fondue Hot Pink - As the name suggests, this is a bold hot pink shade 
• Fondue Red - Every lip wardrobe needs a red and this is a beautiful red 
• Fondue Peach - a light shade of peach 
• Fondue Pink - a bubblegum rose 
• Fondue Nude Beige - a peachy pale coral 
• Fondue Coral Beige - a deeper, rosier coral

Melting as soon as it comes into contact with the lips and turning into an almost liquid-like formula, over time, as the lipstick stays on the lips, the colour reacts to the temperature of your lips and continues to develop and deepen and truthfully, it absolute fascinates me. I love how easily the lipstick glides across the lips whether you use a brush or the lipstick itself directly, it doesn't cling to dry skin and it lasts for hours and hours without the need to re-apply.  

I have been loving Fondue Coral Beige, not a shade I ever felt I would be comfortable with, but I love how easy it works for me and from the seven lipsticks that I have from the range, I actually feel comfortable wearing them all.  The swatches shown above are with and without the flash on my camera and have been swatched with just one swipe of the lipstick bullet onto my wrist and arm.  You can see just how pigmented they are.  I have never used a lipstick like this before and I have a lot of lipsticks, they are simply exceptional and a must have.

I am really excited to see big things from Touch In Sol and you can find them at Cult Beauty, ASOS, Indulge Beauty and BeautyMart and Rouge Fondue Lipsticks are priced at £21 each.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here