Korean Haul: Ohui, The Face Shop, Hanyul by AmorePacific

Hi there beautiful ladies. I have a Korean skincare haul! I didn't get a chance to visit Seoul this year as I do almost every year but I received a couple of goodies from friends and family, plus I picked up a couple of things at The Face Shop in NJ on our way back to DC from Manhattan. All up and down the East Coast baby, that's how I roll. 

So the first things I got from The Face Shop are some of their sheet masks. I got Nutri-life E, walnut & pine nut, rice and aloe masks. They were priced at $1.50-2.00 each. I've used these before but it's been a while so I don't remember whether I liked them or not. But whatever the case may be at least I had fun picking them out ; )

I also picked up the Herb Day Lip & Eye Make-up Remover sheets. These were $5.00 for 30 sheets- pretty good deal in my humble opinion. I use Lancome Bi-facil to remove my waterproof eye makeup but sometimes I get lazy and want something super simple to remove my eye makeup so I thought I would give these a whirl. I've already tried a couple of sheets and although it isn't perfect- it still removes my waterproof eyeliner/mascara better than my regular makeup remover wipe (currently using the Biore one) so I definitely see myself repurchasing. I consider this a find!

The powder you see with ECHO's stamped on it is actually chestnut powder which you can mix with yogurt, egg yolk, or water to create your own at-home spa mask treatment. This is one of my absolute favorite products in the whole wide world but unfortunately I can't find it anywhere in the states. I used to buy a couple packets when in Korea and bring them back with me but I had run out of the last stash I had towed back with me. I let out a little yelp when I saw this at The Face Shop.

A little side note, The Face Shop is a drugstore-level Korean cosmetics brand. I know of only three locations currently in the US, one each in Manhattan, Flushing and NJ.

Next up, my mom sent me some stuff from a line called Hanyul (by AmorePacific) through my dad who was in town from Seoul last week. Apparently this is a line that is focused on using 100% Korean-grown traditional herbs (normally used in Eastern medicine) to create products that are less abrasive to the skin. My mom sent me two packs of sheet masks and a massaging pack, all of which are housed in some beautiful packaging.

Last but not least, a good friend was sweet enough to bring me a Ohui sunscreen compact (Sun Science Powder Sunblock Natural Skin SPF 50) from her visit to Seoul last month. I've been taking horse-riding lessons in the sun as of late and this was just the thing I needed- a compact that would allow me to reapply sunscreen without messing up my makeup.

I've already used it (hence the slightly faded sun print) and I like it a lot. It works not only as a sunscreen but a brightening and mattifying powder with a good amount of pigmentation. It doesn't make my skin look cakey but the powder is super fair so keep that in mind if you have a darker skintone. It works nicely on my average fair skin.

So that's everything! I understand that these are not readily available products for everyone but I've recently seen some sites that sell Ohui, The Face Shop and Hanyul so I thought I would introduce these haul items as a reference to those of you who are interested in trying out some new Asian cosmetics. I hope you enjoyed :)

Nordstrom Anniversary Exclusive: Le Metier de Beaute Rock 'n' Romance Nail Lacquer Set

Needless to say I have been bad blogger. I've had the photos in this post ready to be edited since last month and here I am finally getting to it. 

This beautiful set from Nordstrom was my introductory product to Le Metier- and I have to say it has been a very satisfactory one! The set comes with four sophisticated shades ranging from crimson red (which actually swatches to an almost black on the nails) to a midnight navy. The mini-sized bottles come with smaller brushes for application but the formula is smooth and nice so there is no noticeable difficulty in applying.

Heat of the Night as mentioned above applies as a much darker color than the crimson in the bottle. It has a slight shimmer to it. The hubster commented that "the crimson that comes out in the light makes it classy even though it's almost black." Okay- he didn't use that exact phrase but I saw it in his eyes when he said "I like it."

True Romance is a beautiful nude with a slight metallic finish. It creates a polished sophisticated look, perfect for the workplace. (The Beauty Look Book has already done a great coverage on True Romance.) I haven't had Chrome Passion or Midnight Rendezvous on my nails yet but both look promising from the swatches.

Overall happy with my purchase, I'm see more Le Metier in my future! 

Nordstrom Anniversary Exclusive: Clarins FEED 15 Pouch

One of the first things that I knew I would get from Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale was the Clarins FEED 15 Pouch, purchase of which would provide 15 meals to school children through the United Nations World Food Programme. It was a meaningful collaboration and I was happy to support it!

The pouch contains three Clarins products; a Moisture-Rich Body Lotion (3.5 oz), Hand and Nail Treatment Cream (1.7 oz), and a Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in shade 01 (a light pink) and retails for 30USD. I love Clarins skincare but I haven't had a chance to try these body products yet so this will be my humble intro to the body lotion and hand cream. 

The quality of the canvas pouch itself is rather a nice surprise as it stands its own. Both the stitching and the zipper is sturdy and reliable unlike many run of the mill makeup pouches that accompany beauty purchases. It has the stenciled "FEED" on one side and "15" on the other accented with red. The FEED Projects website has a similar pouch for 25USD- which provides 10 meals. (pouch only no Clarins products)

Right now at Nordstrom, you can also choose a gift with purchase (there are four options) when you purchase two Clarins products. Normally, you have to purchase at least one skincare product to receive the GWP but the sales associate at my Clarins counter was nice enough to include the gift with my purchase of two FEED pouches which are technically, body care products.

Haul: Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate + Deluxe Samples + Swatches

A couple of weeks ago, I took advantage of the great Lancome sample deal up on the Lancome-USA site. I bought one thing, the Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate 0.67oz and ended up with 10 hot samples!
1. Teint Miracle (foundation) sample card
2. Creme Radiance clarifying cream-to-foam cleanser
3. Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate 0.25oz
4. Absolue Premium replenishing cream with SPF 15
5. Renergie volumetric lifting and reshaping cream with SPF 15
6. High Resolution Eye anti-wrinkle eye cream
7. Le Crayon Kohl in Raisin Noir
8. Color Design Sensational Effects Quad
9. Juicy Tubes Moulin Rose
10. Juicy Tubes Rose Quartz

Here is a size comparison between the 0.25oz, 0.67oz and 1oz bottles. There is also a 1.7oz size not shown here. I absolutely love this serum and am already onto my fourth bottle. I used other serums in between as I like to change up my skin care routine, but I find myself recommending this first to anyone who asks me about a good serum. It's light yet very effective and I can actually feel my skin "drinking up" the hydration. (One should note, however, that all skin types are different and what works for me may not work for everyone :)

Also, be sure to register with Lancome-usa.com if you plan to order from them since you can choose a deluxe sample with your purchase if you do. That's how I received Rose Quartz :)  

Voila, swatches. Rose Quartz is a sheer and shimmery terra cotta type shade (but it looks berry-ish in some lights) and smells like candy- although I can't really pinpoint what candy... Moulin Rose is a non-shimmery barbie pink, also sheer but still very pretty. This one smells like roses. Coral Rush is one I got with a previous purchase but I included it for comparison purposes: this one is a golden coral (golden because it has dense gold micro-shimmer in it) and smells like watermelons! yum....

Hope everyone is holding up in the intense summer heat we've been getting this week (or is it just the DC heat that's gone crazy?)! Also, is everyone excited about Nordstrom's 15 Year Anniversary Sale as I am? There's only a couple of things I have my heart set on (the Clarins Feed 15 Pouch- such a great cause- and the Jo Malone trio) so I don't know why I'm so excited but... I am... haha