[BEFORE and AFTER] Benton Cacao Moist and Mild Serum

 Hello!

So I've been so excited to share my review on this NEW RELEASED serum from Benton Cosmetics! I saw that they are recruiting for reviewers and I tried my luck and just happen to be selected! Yeay!

Although this serum is almost confiscated by my local custom because they said I import illegal cosmetics from outside which I have been doing for years and it was fine. I guess it had something to do with DHL a.k.a expensive shipping so guys, avoid DHL at any cost because your products might get into a problem. 

Anyway, I was so excited when I saw they're releasing the Cacao Moist and Mild in a serum because I also have tried and reviewed the cream here and it was amaaaaazinnnng!

Without further ado, let's get into the review!

Product information:

Hydrating/Nourishing/Skin Protection/Water-oil Balance

Benton Cacao Moist and Mild Serum is a lightweight and hydrating serum. 

With Cacao extracts and Hyaluronic Acid, this serum replenishes moisture to the skin. 

Various botanical extracts in the serum further help to keep skin smooth.

Net weight: 30ml/1.01 fl. oz

 Source: Benton Cosmetics

 A dropper bottle :)

Both manufactured and expired date written :D

 Colorless and scentless liquid.

 Almost resemble emulsion consistency but once it is spread on, it turns to water.

(Excuse for the pimple-like thing on my hand. Apparently, I was allergic to a medicine that I took to heal a wound)

 Source: Benton Cosmetics

 I'm not sure if you guys can see it but my pores are disappearing in the 'after' picture. 

My thoughts:

The serum came in a clear glass-looking plastic(?) dropper bottle and honestly it legit and feels like glass.

I have tried this serum for about two weeks now and honestly, I think this would be a great serum for a simple skincare. On days where I'm having a bad skin where I don't want to put too much of a product on my skin, this would be a great substitute.

It is very lightweight. The consistency almost looks like emulsion when I first put a drop on my palm but then it spreads like water and absorbs quickly into the skin.

It feels very hydrating, enough to hydrate combination to oily skin especially in these hot summer days. It won't make my sebum got worse on the day and wouldn't mess with my makeup either.

In terms of hydrating, I do feel like this lasts for the whole day and it doesn't feel that much of hydration when you apply it but then I don't see any dry patches throughout the day either so that is definitely a plus!

All the ingredients are level 1(green) according to cosDNA and you don't have to worry about putting this on your skin. On the plus side, this is also colorless and scentless!Hooray!

Lastly, as you can see in the photo above, I was surprised too when I see the pic because my pores totally look less visible after I put on the serum! Would totally recommend this to those who are concern about your big pores :D

Overall, I'm liking it! Surely not bias because this is an honest review although it was gifted by Benton.

Definitely a great combo with the cream!

Thank you for reading :D

[REVIEW] Althea Skincare Line "Bare Essentials"

 Hi guys!

So recently AltheaKorea is releasing the shop's first ever skincare line named "Bare Essentials" which is aiming at the simplest skincare as base makeup because sometimes complicating your skincare won't do your skin good. I was lucky to become their blogger and trying this first hand.

There are three products in this line which is the Contour Cleanser, Primer Water, and Fixer Cream which is the usual steps that you can find to complete a skincare routine.

The first product, which is also the first step in the skincare line is the "Contour Cleanser"

Ingredients:

Glycerin, Water, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Lauric Acid, PEG-32, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Lactose, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Polyquaternium-67, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Menthol/Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-7, Fructooligosaccharides, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Pullulan,1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Lippia Citriodora Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance 

Product Description:

A rich and foaming cleanser that removes impurities while improving blood circulation for that V-shaped look. It contains microcapsules to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and leaves the skin feeling cool and refreshed.

My Thoughts:

The cleanser is very thick in texture and I guess it was due to the presence of cornstarch as one of the ingredient. It has this microcapsule that will dissolve while rubbing the cleanser on your face.

Because the texture is quite thick and I only need a pea-size amount of it to cleanse my face as it lathers quite easily (caused by Cocamidopropyl Betaine). It is quite a deal for RM23.00 cleanser and a big one at that because it will last for quite long.

As I cleanse with this, I do notice that it's quite minty because the presence of menthol in it and it has quite a strong scent to it which I believe came from the Lippia Citriodora Leaf Extract and Fragrance. As written in cosDNA, the Lippia Citriodora Extract is an ingredient that acts as a perfume and astringent and it is quite hazarding since it is on the red-level (7). The scent is too strong in this one and I have not used much-scented skincare these days so it does bother me.

As for the performance, I do notice that it quite sucked on the natural moisture on face after I was the cleanser off my face. You know the feeling of the dryness like those pulling feels? It's literally that. Also, I'm not sure which ingredients caused this but every time after I use this cleanser, the sensitive part of my skin which is along my temple hurts, although there isn't a physical thing can be seen like redness or such but it does feel hurt. However, this wasn't the worst cleanser I've tried because it doesn't do those "squeak-squeak" thing although I'm hoping that they would revise some of the ingredients that can be used by people who have sensitive skin.

The next product is "Primer Water"

Ingredients: 

 Water, Propanediol, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Betaine, Fructooligosaccharides, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pullulan, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Saussurea Involucrata Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Origanum Vulgare Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Agar, Polysorbate 20, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Fragrance

Product Description:

Smooth, hydrating and ever so slightly balm-like, this bottle of wonder penetrates into the layers of the skin and making it a smooth canvas for products to come. Made with patented dewdrop technology, it smoothes and evens out the skin, prepping it for the next step and leaving the skin in a youthful glow.

Price: RM43.00

My Thoughts:

 This rich primer water does feel like an emulsion to me. It's thicker than most essence and it is definitely closer to an emulsion texture which is liquidy but still retains a weight to it.

According to cosDNA, the ingredients are pretty much safe with the medium hazard ones are the Polysorbate 20, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil and Fragrance (3 to 4). Do note that the alcohol is the fourth highest ingredient as well.

To be honest, I did like this primer water although the scent is also quite strong in this. It is because it doesn't break me out nor giving me any strange effects on my skin rather it supply my skin with moisture and it has my favorite ingredient too which is the Centella Asiatica Extract that works so well on my skin :D

I usually used this primer water by pouring the desired amount of my palm, rubbing it between my two hands and dab it on for a few seconds to let the emulsion absorbs into the skin. I do see a slight brightening to the skin after some time (because of Snow Lotus) and the dewdrop technology which is to provide moisture is definitely a plus!

The last product is the "Fixer Cream"

Ingredients:

Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Dimethicone, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, PEG-100 Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Polyacrylate-13, Fructooligosaccharides, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Polyisobutene, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pullulan, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Fragrance

Product Description:

 Powerful moisturizing properties are packed into this little jar that provides the skin with hydration for up to 24 hours for a fresh, revitalized complexion. It penetrates deep into the layers of the skin to plump them and it has non-sticky finish once absorbed.

Price: RM50.00

My Thoughts:

This cream is so silky in texture and it feels so light on my skin and it hydrates pretty well too. Since it is light and easy to spread on the skin, I prefer to wear it on the day because it won't interfere with my foundation texture. It is not sticky as it claims although this too has a strong scent to it.

From the ingredients, it seems that there are a few that could be acne triggering such as Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, and Butylene Glycol while Cyclopentasiloxane, Polysorbate 60, PEG-100 Stearate, Polysorbate 20, and Fragrance are a medium hazard. Although there are a few that could be acne triggering, so far I did not experience any breakout while using this product nor it did inflame my skin so I think that's good.

The product also claims to be supplying 24-hour hydration and although I did not use this for the whole 24-hours, I do think that the hydration lasts pretty long! It also contains my all-time-favorite Centella Asiatica Extract for wounds healing and skin improvement.

 Bonus: Aside from sending the slab of marble, Althea also sent its hand mirror! How cute is that?!

If you are interested in buying these skincare, do visit Althea;

Website: althea.kr / my.althea.kr (Malaysia) [They ship worldwide]
Instagram: @altheakorea

Thank you for reading :)

[REVIEW] Benton Cacao Moist and Mild Cream

Hey guys! Missed me? I'm not totally dead and have been doing microblogging on instagram rather than doing one in blogger. If you still haven't followed me instagram, do so by following my account on @ashihana 

This way you'll get the fastest review posted by me. I'm so into microblogging because I find that it is in fact easier for me, no more time consuming editing and you'll get to read basically the summary of all however, those who would love clearer pictures can still read the reviews on my blog :D (although it might take time for me to do one)

Anyway, in today's post, I'll be reviewing this NEW released product by Benton Cosmetics. I was selected as one of the reviewer of the new product and they sent me one to try. I was sooo excited!

So what's GOOD about this cream?

 Benton's Cacao Moist and Mild Cream is a lightweight cream made of healthy ingredients. Having a light texture, even a generous amount of the cream does not leave the skin heavy. Cacao extracts and hyaluronic acid help to replenish dry skin, leaving it dewy and vibrant.

Cacao Extract 63% : Rich in polyphenols, which are antioxidants and in minerals, Cacao Extract helps to moisturize and soften skin.

Cacao seed butter 10% : Obtained from the pressed seeds of cacao, Cacao seed butter consists of beneficial fatty acids such as palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid. It helps to retain moisture.

Ingredients:

Theobroma Cacao Extract (Cocoa) Extract, Theorboma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexandiol, Pentylene Glycol, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Zanthxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Madecassioside, Beta-Glucan, Carbomer, Arginine, Xanthan Gum

Came in a tube that does not released much air. So it won't deflate even if the product is finished.

I'm about halfway of the tube now and might be finishing it sooner because I love this cream!

I would basically avoided creams that say hydration or moisture because most likely it would cause me of having milia because my skin is not good with heavy creams. However, this cream by Benton which targeted all types of skin and it's branded as "LIGHTWEIGHT" won me over.

The cream definitely very lightweight on the skin and at the same time, it gives abundant of moisture! The cream spreads very easily on skin, almost feels like watery and it absorbs well into my skin too.  Although it gives hydration to the skin, it does not feel oily at all no matter how much I applied it on and it also does not leaves any sticky feeling afterwards.

Although I was hoping that the cream would secretly have a chocolate smells in it but unfortunately it does not contain any scent to it which is a win for those who dislike fragrance in their products.

After using it for almost three weeks now, I can say that it doesn't inflamed my face nor it gives me any breakouts and it actually the opposite. I find that my redness are calmer after I applied it on and my skin does feels smoother now. I would recommend this on summer or countries like mine because it is lightweight and does not cause my oily skin any problem. If you're looking for a mild cream with great water-oil balance in it, this is definitely for you.

I would rate this:

Thank you for reading!

xoxo Mizu

[REVIEW] Secret Key Tattoo Eyebrow Tint Pack

Hello~

Today, I'll be reviewing this eyebrow tint from Secret Key. It is one of the peel off tint that you might have seen around Kbeauty community and it is also my first time trying this peel off trend. I don't know why but I'm not that interested before but now I do..haha

So, in short, I saw this on althea.kr and I needed a new eyebrow pencil, then coincidentally came across this and thought why not? that's how the story goes.

I bought this for RM on althea.kr, make sure to check them out!

Soft brush tip.

I know there isn't a lot of pictures here but I have a great demo of it in a video that I posted on my instagram and I'll link it here so you can watch it.

A video posted by Mizu (@ashihana) on Feb 5, 2017 at 7:34am PST

My verdict:

1) Long lasting

On my instagram, I said that the tint will disappear after one wash and yes it does. I did try of using it just for half an hour as well as 1-2 hours testing on me and I find that the longer to leave it to dry on your eyebrow, the better color outcome as well as it won't wash out easily when you clean your face. If you did leave it for hours, the next time you wash your face, there still would be traces left.

The tint won't budge nor disappear as long as you don't wash that part of eyebrow.

2) Color

I chose cafe latte color which is a light toffee brown color and it does came out like the ad photos they shown. This color would be awkward on me without an extra help of the same color browcara since my hair is black. By the way, I do love the color on me, just personal preference.

3) Smell

There isn't much smell to it once you peel it off and the wet liquid certainly smells a bit like glue but I don't think it would bother anyone since it wasn't that strong.

4) Easy peel off

My brows is a little on the bushy side, certainly not really full but the hair is long so that's why it is hard to control. I find it is easier to peel off if you leave it for 1-2 hours but if you don't want to wait for that long, the liquid would still be a little wet and making it a little hard to peel. 

Overall, I like it and would repurchase it again :)

Thank you for reading.

[REVIEW] Son&Park Beauty Water 500ml

Hey guys!

Today I'll be sharing my review for this all-time raved Beauty Water from Son&Park.

I bought this from althea.kr for about RM175 for 500ml (the biggest one they had!) and they are eligible for free shipping since orders above RM99, you'll get free shipping. That's s super deal right?! And to add, I also got a free Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence in one of their event which you'll get one free item of your choice. I actually wanted to buy the combo, Beauty Water and Beauty Gel but sadly the Beauty Gel is out of stock that time so I chose the Benton instead. Both are great deal anyway since I'd love to try either one.

Here's a little info that you might want to know about this product;

1. A multitasking toner and cleansing water that creates a clean base for any skin care and makeup that follows. 
2. The Beauty Water is not just a cleanser, it also has mild exfoliation abilities with willow bark and papaya extract to help sweep away dead skin cells, revealing brighter skin tone and smoother texture. Lavender water, rose water, and orange fruit extract impart a subtle hydration so your skin can be prepped to absorb the next skin care steps, while adding in a bit of moisture.
3. Beauty Water can be used in the morning to create the perfect canvas for makeup application, midday as a refresher and night after cleansing to whisk away remaining impurities. For normal, oily, dry, and combinations skin types. Beauty Water has a pH of 4.5, effectively resetting the skin's natural pH after cleansing. - source Sokoglam.

I tried to darken the words written on the box since they're so light in color.

Hope you can see them :)

Not my favourite type of packaging since it is easy to spill.

I just want to refer it as a toner (although it is a multitasking product). I uses a lot of toner on my skincare routine and I feel like it is the first product that I want them to penetrate my skin after all the face cleansing to refresh it back and give it some moisture before putting more skincare on top.

The first time I uses this is without cotton pad since I always dislike cotton pad because it soaks too much liquid and waste the product. So the first time I probably a little excited and put on a lot of it on my face and there's a little white foam residue can be seen, which is later disappears. This is kind of white foam usually gives an extra moisture and this time it definitely does!I actually had no idea since I really thought that this will be a normal plain toner..(I admit that I actually didn't read any of the information before buying this, I'm buying it coz everyone says that it's good).

The second time I tried it with a cotton pad (since I've read all the information for this second try and cotton pad is said to be important) and it does soak the product but lesser than I would normally use without cotton pad. Since it has an abundant moisture, the cotton pad itself doesn't dry in itself and it was enough to give my skin moisture that I want. 

It is says that the Beauty Water will remove impurities or any residue makeup that wasn't cleanse thoroughly. By reading this I really thought it's not gonna change anything since I trust my cleansing oil and my cleansing routine to clean all the nasty stuff. My first try with cotton pad I actually didn't spot any difference, like if there's any residue or whatsoever but then after like a few tries, I do realizes that sometimes the cotton pad will change color from white to a veryyyyyyy subtle yellow, which is almost unnoticeable if I didn't really look through so I guess it does remove all the remaining nasty stuff that I can't reach while cleansing.

Since then, the Beauty Water has been my number one trusted product and I uses it pretty much every time I wash my face. I religiously applying this toner with cotton pad whenever I wash my face. An important time that I always use this is when I wanted to go to bed. I don't really want to go through all the cleansing again since I did with daily night bath time around 7 p.m but I had to apply "before-bed-time-skincare" around 12 a.m so I always uses this toner to clean all the sebum on face before applying more skincare.

Some things that I wanted to point out while using this, I don't have any redness appeared after applying this or I think it does tone down the redness I got from cleansing (it's a normal thing coz after my skincare done, I got redness too but it'll fade away). It also doesn't break me out nor irritate my skin which is a plus thing for me because sometimes some product can make some areas on my face itchy and I hated it. Brightening? I'm not so sure about this. Lastly, it also doesn't dry out the skin or tightens them.

To those who might be concern about the ingredients, yes, it has all the paraben that you might afraid of as well the alcohol denat. I know some of my friends were sensitive to these ingredients so watch out for that before buying it.

Oh one last thing, it says that there is lavender water in it but I definitely detect the rose smell stronger in it. It also has a sweet-like scent to it which I really love. 

Overall, I'm recommending this toner if you love multitasking product. Grab the smaller version 340ml or a sample( which I'm not sure where you can get this little sample) to try since this is worth the raved everyone was talking about on the internet.

Thank you for reading

xoxo

[REVIEW] Yadah Anti Trouble Bubble Cleanser for Pimples, Acne and Blackhead

Hi guys!

Today I'll be reviewing this cleanser from Yadah which is sent to me by BBcosmetic.com

You can purchase this product by clicking HERE for $19.98 with free shipping!

A little info that you might want to know about this product;

1. A cleanser created for acne of troubled skin.
2. Contains natural extract and very minimal chemical with low stimulations on the skin and maximum effects against skin toubles.
3. Main ingredients are Green Tea extract, Aloe Vera gel, Rosemary extract and Sage extract to give natural moisturising effect and hel soothe and astringe the skin.
4. Low in acidity, similar to skin pH and protects the moisture from leaving the skin.
5. 6 Free System: No Paraben, No Benzophenon, No Mineral Oil, No Animal materials, No Sulfate, No Artificial dyes

Very little ingredients yet a lot of them are natural extracts.

The pump that makes the foam.

So fluffy~

Before and after cleansing, pardon my hand look a little red  since I scratch it..haha

I would say that it cleans the lipstick after two washes.

VERDICT:

1) Smell

Smell a bit medicated, almost natural to me and I dislike it at first but now I'm getting used to it so I don't really dislike it like the first time I was using it.

2) Content

It was written that it is 150ml, and I find that I consume this type of bubble cleanser a lot than I used to with my normal cleanser since the foam didn't give me much "soap" like texture and I like those so I find that this a little thin for me and the result it I used about 3-4 pumps per use. 

3) Pump

I do like the pump because it saves the time to manually do it and with a few pumps, I can just put it on my face, massage it a little and it goes away easily with water.

4) After wash

It doesn't stripe away my skin moisture since it has a low pH but it feels matte? I don't know how to describe this but that's how I feel after washing it off.

5) Breakouts

I don't have any breakout with this and I find that this cleanser control my redness really well and doesn't cause new acne or pimples to form on my face.

Overall, I do like this cleanser a lot since I almost emptied the bottle now.

Thank you for reading :)

[REVIEW] Yadah Oh My Sun Slush SPF50+PA+++

Hello there!

This time I'll be reviewing this sun cream from Yadah which has been sent to me by BBcosmetic.com and you can purchased this sun cream HERE for $14.95 and free shipping :)

I actually wanted to try this for so long now but I always forgotten to add this to my cart every time I went for Kbeauty shopping and I'm sooo glad that BBcosmetic are sending me this to try and I cry tears of joy! :D

  

A little info you might want to know about this product:

1) It is a sun cream, which you usually use as the last step in your skincare routine.

2) It uses 50% of organic cactus in it which is grown in clean, environment-friendly farm

3) It has moisturizing and cooling effect.

4) It is FREE from Paraben, Alcohol Denat, Benzophene, Mineral Oil, Talc and Tar Color.

5) Came in squeeze bottle, 50ml/ 1.69fl.oz

The texture looks like a smoothie to me.

VERDICT:

1) Scent

It has a soapy kind of smell to it which I don't really bothered about. 

2) Texture

It looks like a smoothie to me but it was definitely light and not sticky!

3) Moisture and cooling

As it says, the sun cream gives moisture and cooling to the skin. I find that it wasn't oily and feels like I put on an emulsion to my face.

4) Color

It looks white but it spreads clear on the skin and another thing that I notice is that it gives a glow to the face. I'm used to have my skin kinda dull and I notice that my complexion is brighten with this although it doesn't have any white cast to it.

5) Packaging

Yassss..I don't know about you guys but I was definitely attracted to the packaging and the name, sun slush. Doesn't that sounds like you'll get refresh with the pretty green color to it? I do though. The tube looks like it was made from aluminium but it's not. It's definitely like the other squeezable tube out there.

6) Long lasting

The moisture is definitely long lasting! I love it!

7) Waterproof

I don't think it is waterproof since they don't mention it and it was easy to wash too.

Overall, I looooveeee this sun cream. You might know that I never really mention sun cream before because I used to hate it but not with this! 

Thank you for reading :)