When you can get it all...

All the goodies from Korea 

My friend Deary visited Korea a while back and as I had to miss her for a month, I got my reward as she brought me all of these goodies! I kept adding things to my shopping list all through her trip, and amazingly she didn't lose patience with me, thank you sweety! These were so much cheaper to get directly from the source, so I could get a lot more than I usually would with my monthly budget. *cough* I might have also been rebitten by the k-beauty bug and I have some *coughthreecough* additional orders coming in from Cosmetics-Love (things I realized too late that I still needed).

Actually I didn't specifically order most of these, she got a lot as freebies and gave some to me to try out. Which was wonderful, since I love to try these out without having to prchase a whole bottle of something I don't know if I'll like or not.

Banila Co. The Blacks masks

The containers

The stuff

These Banila masks were one thing I did specifically order though. I would have also liked to get the Bamboo Hydrating sleeping mask, but that one was sold at the store atm. But after I've tried the Berry mask, I don't think I would have needed the extra-hydration :D

I was especially interested in the heating gel mask, since I've had a heating mask experience at a day spa once and it was very nice! The point of this mask is that the gel (almost like honey) heats up on touch, so it gives a very nice relaxing feeling when massaged over the face. The claimed benefit is that the heat open up your pores so that they are more easily cleaned. I used this myself and to my surprise even Valentine was willing to try it out! I didn't feel much of the heat, but Valentine said that it felt almost like a sunburn on his face (he tends to exaggerate a lot though, so take this with a grain of salt). For both of us, after cleansing the mask away, it did diminish blackheads, but it did cause a small breakout for both of us. I still need to retry this one, to see if this mask is really the culprit.

The cooling clay mask is for the exact opposite purpose: the cooling effect should minimize pores. I used this only after I had cleansed away my blackheads (more on that a bit later in the post), to avoid my pores getting clogged, but I don't know if it was necessary. The mask is very cooling and smells like peppermint to really give an overall refreshing feel. The clay dries up pretty fast and the mask can be washed away in 10-15 mins. I've used it twice, and although I don't see that my pores are any smaller per se, it has made my skin a bit smoother I think.

The moisture mask is an overnight sleeping pack, sorta like a night cream here in the west. The 'mild' is in the name to say that it should work on sensitive skin as well, I can't say since my skin can take a lot of strong substances. But it does give lasting moisture. The first night I put on way too much of this stuff, since I just scooped up a full spatula of the stuff and used it like... well, mask. I woke of feeling very greasy. After that I've only put on a little of this gel-like cream (the same amount or maybe slightly less than I'd use regular night cream) and it has absorbed nicely and kept my face moist during the night.

Skinfood scrubs

Tested scrub material

I've had Skinfood Black Sugar regular scrub mask before, and it just ran out as Deary was in Korea, so I ordered some more. Since the prices were so damn low, I splurged on the costlier Essential scrub and for a regular scrub I got the strawberry variant of the Wash-Off Mask.

I've really liked the black sugar line. The sugar grains feel nice as a scrubbing medium and it had left my face smooth after washing off. I can't yet say much about the essential extra benefits of the premium version, since I've only used it once now. Felt a lot like the basic scrub.

The strawberry variant smells like strawberry jam! Almost an essence strawberry smell , so if you don't like anything too scented, I'd advise against this. But the stuff itself feels like dark sugar mixed with smashed strawberries, I can even see strawberry seeds in it. :D

If you can't get rid of the pores... Hide them!

Then something for my cosmetics squad: Etude House's Face Blur. It's like a primer product, meant to blur away imperfections on your face. I personally use it after a CC cream and before the actual foundation. I have to say, it really works!

My face has been quite blotchy lately and even CC cream on its own cannot hide it. But with Face Blur added, I have almost Korean-like smooth face! I want to do a photoset of showing this effect, step by step :P

Btw, one of the sample I got was a Banila Co. Radiant CC Cover cream. I actually purchased some bigger samples of it just to test it out more, since I really liked it. The Etude House CC cream I've had gives a dewy finish, as the cream lighten up your face (and gives an almost transparent look). The Banila CC Cream (I got the black version, which is more opaque) is more covering, so I'd use it when I need a more heavy make-up.

The surprise contender

 These ones I din't actually order, but got them anyway from Deary :D I guess she knows my problem areas... :P This Egg White series is something I never would have purchased on my own, but I'm very happy that I tried. The foam cleanser is amazing, although doesn't quite foam as much as my previous one. It leaves a bit of tightness to my skin after cleansing but it has gotten totally rid of my blackheads! The smell is subtle and I think I can smell a bit of sugarless meringue in there, but it might be just my imagination. Not an unpleasant smell.

After using the foam cleanser, I use a cotton pad to wipe my face with the cleansing water, that cleans off any residues and the last of the black heads. No need to rinse it off. Sometimes I use a toner after this, most day I don't. I'm not really sure it is functions as a toner on its own or not... Sorry!

These are products that I will definitely repurchase, since they have immensely helped with clearing my skin and avoiding breakouts. Skinfood has another Egg White line, that seems very similar, but doesn't have the Perfect Pore tagline. I don't know if it is an older line or what? I'll stick to the Perfect Pores though :D

Another sample duo

These are much smaller samples I got to test. First I have to say: that essence is in the most inconvenient sample bottle ever for a lotion! It is so damn hard to get out of that tiny thing, I have to shake it out and it is pure chaos theory on where it'll land after breaking free of there. :(

On a brighter side, I do like the actual product. Feels refreshing, smells nice and hasn't had any bad effect. Can't say it had any major good one though either, since I have a hard time figuring out which moisture product is doing the actual job or is is a group effort :D But for a basic hydrating toner+essence, I could very well see myself getting these.

Then a big pile of sheet masks :D

Skinfood masks

Missha masks, already used up the Ginseng before taking this photo

Aritaum masks

That's a lot , right? :D I asked Deary to just me a pile of different things to try and she really did deliver! Apparently there was a great sale on Missha masks, like buy 5 get 5. Of course I haven't gone through them yet, so can't really give a full review. I've had Aritaum masks before and they feel quite OK. Deary got me a potato mask for a laugh, we'll see how it performs ;) There are some very... weird sheet masks out there, like horse fat?? so I did say to her that those might be off-limits. but a potato I can at least try out :D

I have already used one Yuja Water masks, that felt like a basic hydrating mask. Didn't see any instant brightening effects, but that should take a bit more effort anyway. Could use again though.

I also tried the Missha Ginseng mask, since it said to be purifying/soothing etc. Didn't like it though, I think it irritated my skin and the smell was too earthy for me.

Now out of the other samples I got (but already used and hence didn't take a photo...):
- Peach Cotton cream: loved it! My face is quite oily during the summer, so this light cream felt perfect. I'm getting a bottle from Deary, since it was too light on her (normal, I think) skin. I had a Lumene Bright Now regular cream at home that I was using (I have a SPF version of it too, but it is quite heavy, worked in the winter though), but that left my skin feel greasy. I think this Cotton cream will be perfect and I'll leave the Bright now until fall.
- Black Sugar 2X Serum (can't find a link to a larger bottle): very watery. I've had to bad reaction to this, but it does contain alcohol and I think Deary got a bad reaction from it. Works for me, but doesn't feel like that good of a serum to really purchase.

More samples

- Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum: I've had these samples before as well, and  I still love the product. I just always put off actually buying it for some reason... I always have some other serums to use up first :D This serum helped in calming my face, when I'm having redness or breakouts. Although, Deary got more redness from using this, so there is some irritants in it I guess?
- Nature Republic Ginseng Royal Silk Cream: Not really nice enough for the price tag... Ok cream, but felt too gooey to me.
- Nature Republic Snail Solution, Foam Cleanser (couldn't find a link) and Essence: I haven't tried the cleanser yet, as i'm so smitten with the egg white from Skinfood. I got multiple essence samples though and already tested one. I can't any opinion though, didn't have any wow-effect or downside...
- Banila Co. V-V Vitalizing Serum: Very thick cream serum. Didn't like as it didn't absorb into my skin. Maybe for a really parched skin? Not for my summer-oily skin definitely :D Still have this one unopened sample, probably won't try it too soon.
- Innisfree Jeju Volcanic masks, Calming and Refining: Haven't had time t test them out yet, but will report back. I have high hopes for these :)

Now, any particular mask you want me to test next? :D

I still have two more pore control (yes, I'm obsessed about pores atm) products coming in: a nose patch set from Holika Holika and Fresh Apple Pore Pack from Skinfood. Then I'll be ready to post a full war-on-pores post! Also I've got some face sun block coming in (let's see if the Finnish summer is over before it arrives though...) and a new oil cleanser from Skinfood. Apparently the oil cleanser I got locally is off production :( But it was a good excuse to get a new product from the Black Sugar line :D

Now, I'm off to blur my face, before I start using emojis to end every freaking sentence...