Lockdown Toy Love: A review of a fabulous selection of Leapfrog educational toys - Storytime Bella, Lettersaurus, Build & Discover Toolbox & Tumbling Blocks Fire Engine

Just before our official lockdown hit here in South Africa, Everly & Aaron received a fantastic package from Leapfrog. Looking back, the delivery couldn’t have been timed any better because, for the first 5 weeks or so, we were unable to purchase any toys as these were not deemed ‘Essential Items’. So, long story short, my kids got pretty lucky.

These toys were sent to us in the form of a trade exchange but my thoughts are views are honest, and my own.

We actually own another fantastic Leapfrog toy, My Pal Violet, which was a prezzie from my Dad for Everly’s first birthday. She LOVES that singing pup, and I’m telling you it was instrumental in her language learning. The same can be said for all 4 of the following toys. My kids love them, and are still playing with them all these weeks later. While we as a family try to stay away from plastic toys (opting for more toys of the wooden/handmade variety) but there is a place for DURABLE plastics toys, and let me tell you, these toys have been put through their paces in terms of durability.

And now on to the review of each toy:

Leapfrog Tumbling Blocks Fire Engine – RSP R1000.00

This bright red Fire Engine is sturdy, and even though it has a moveable ‘arm’, there is no worry that it’s going to come off anytime soon. I say this with good authority as Aaron has chucked it down the concrete stairs, off the bed onto our hard, wooden floors and it’s even been given a few good knocks with a hammer!

There are 5 brightly coloured blocks, which each have a letter of the alphabet on one of their sides, along with a cute picture to match the letter. There’s a slot for a block to fit into on the one side of the engine, and then the blocks all fit into the top of the ladder (the moveable arm) where the roll down into the back of the engine, where they ‘wait’ for the ladder to be pulled down and a very cool little mechanism opens up the bottom of the ladder and ‘picks’ up one block at a time. It’s one of Aaron’s favourite features, that and the music!

When you put the interactive blocks into the Fire engine window, it plays the names and sounds of animals & letters from A - Z. There is a real-life sounding siren, flashing lights and a turning water hose too, and different blocks call out different ‘missions’ to complete. And there is also a music symbol shaped button to press which plays the ABC song (this is Aaron’s favourite and it never ceases to get him bopping and grooving…and hopefully soon actually singing along).

The Tumbling Blocks Fire Engine is suitable for 12 month olds and upwards.

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Leapfrog Storytime Bella – RSP R1250.00

Bella has found her place right next to Violet, and I often find Everly walking around the house with a puppy in each arm as she feeds them snacks and gives them water. But, the best part about Bella, are the 5 books that come with her; each one ‘activated’ by the corresponding number on her collar.

Each story features one of the following themes; emotions, shapes, numbers, colours and opposites, and even though Everly can’t read yet, she follows Bella’s instructions to ‘turn the page’ and loves looking at the pictures while Bella reads along.

Bella also sings lullabies and her collar gives off a lovely soft light as she sings gentle songs that are catchy and easy to listen to (I say this more for the parents sake…they don’t drill into your skull, an important fact that should be highlighted). Everly will often come to me and ask me if she can read me her ‘Bella Books’ and then recounts the story to my complete and utter surprise because I haven’t actually read any of them to her. She adds in her own plot twists and turns, but she’s got a firm grasp of the story, which is pretty incredible.

Although Everly can’t read yet, she loves Bella and so I’d say Storytime Bella is suited to 2 year olds and upwards.

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Leapfrog Build & Discover Toolbox – RSP R500.00

And now for Aaron’s favourite toy! This poor tool box has really been given a hard time, and yet looks as good as new! It’s been put through it’s paces with all manner of hard objects thrown at it, and has also been yanked apart more times than I can count. It also gets played with as much by Everly, as it does Aaron.

The 4 sides of the box fold down, and then all clip together again with the handle at the top, which has two screws that ‘lock’ the handle in place. There are 5 tools (a hammer, a ruler, a screwdriver, a saw and a wrench) and all of these tools have fun places that allow them to be actually used for their intended purpose (and for all their non-intended purposes too…like hitting his sister over the head).

I must say that this is the toy that drives my the craziest, because of how all the pieces are always scattered all over the house within seconds. But, Aaron loves playing hide and seek with them so I pick my battles, and he does USUALLY find all the pieces and put the tool box back together most times.

The Build & Discover Toolbox is suitable for 12month olds and upwards.

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Leapfrog Lettersaurus – RSP R800.00

Everly and Lettersaurus can often be found walking together around the garden (although the little string/lead attached to his neck is rather short for use as an actual lead). It’s rather sweet how she will go and pick him up, play a few ABC tunes and then tell me she’s off to take him for a walk. His head spins from side to side as he goes, and it really is rather sweet to watch.

This little Dinosaur has coloured letters (from A - Z) on his back that when pressed sound out the letter name and sounds. He also says a number of fun phrases and sings three different songs when you press the musical note. His orange tail also spins and this brings in numbers and counting too. There is also a footprint button which plays a jungle tune, to which the letter buttons can be pressed to add sounds to the music, almost like a little mini DJ set up.

Lettersaurus is suitable for 12month olds and upwards.

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You can purchase the entire Leapfrog range from the Prima website by clicking the BUY NOW option on each product; or alternatively on Takealot, and in store at places like Toy Kingdom & ToyZone.

Do you own any of these (or any other) Leapfrog toys? Are any of these being added to your little one’s birthday lists this year? Let me know in the comments below!

Klairs Vitamin Drop Vitamin C Serum Review - Currently Testing

For the past few days I have been trying a very exciting new addition to the Dear Klairs range of beauty products. Dear Klairs is a Korean beauty brand established in 2010 in Seoul, South Korea, and what I love most about them is that they do not test on animals! I have tried out a number of their products (courtesy of WishTrend) and have been most impressed with them.

Here are my own (always honest) reviews for the products I have tried out so far.

Just click on the images below to see the full post:

You can shop for the Klairs range of products on WishTrend, a Korean beauty platform which stocks lots and lots of Korean Beauty brands.  A little bonus for my readers, by using this code 052313605 you'll get $5 off your first order. 

I am currently testing out the much talked about Klairs Vitamin Drop (which you can buy as a set along with my favourite BB cream, the Klairs Supple Illuminating BB Cream for only $34 on WishTrend) .

And now back to the review.

So what's all the fuss about Vitamin C I hear you say?

Now I'm no scientist, just a lowly ol' beauty blogger with a love for any and all things beauty, and so I enlisted the help of Korean Beauty Guru blogger Charlotte from Soko Glam to help me out here. 

Many studies have proved that Vitamin C (a.k.a. ascorbic acid or l-ascorbic acid) is one of the most effective ways to help fade pigmentation -- those pesky brown spots from sun damage or even uneven skin tone from acne scarring.

It also improves the overall health of your skin by protecting it from free radical damage! Think of it as an anti-aging shield for your skin so you’re not only reducing what damage has already been done, but also preventing future damage.

To understand the science behind Vitamin C, let me breakdown how and why pigmentation occurs:

UVA/UVB, pollution, and smoking create free radicals that destroy your DNA -- and skin cells. Sorry for the dramatics - but it’s true. Free radicals suck!

The result? Premature aging: mainly brown spots and wrinkles (and a bunch of other health problems besides).

Antioxidants help slow down/eliminate free radicals, so that’s why it’s important to include them in your diet and most importantly for your skin, apply them topically!

And you guessed it, the best of the best for the skin is...Vitamin C.  You can read the full article by clicking here.

I recently raved about my experience using the Innisfree Whitening Pore Serum with pretty drastic before and after photos (click here) and so have really interested in knowing more about Vitamin C. 

This Vitamin Drop serum from Klairs contains a 5% concentration of Vitamin C, meaning it is perfect for even the most sensitive of skins. As a rule of thumb, the higher the Vitamin C concentration, the more likely it will cause sensitivity. For those first time users of Vitamin C (like myself), the 5% contained in The Klairs Vitamin Drop serum is the prefect place to start. 

As Vitamin C is highly de-stablilized by Oxygen & light, it is usually kept in dark coloured bottles and it is advised to store it in a cool dark place. What is great about the Klairs Vitamin Drop is that has been stablilized and therefore has a longer shelf life. That's why it is packaged in such a pretty clear bottle. You can see the full ingredient list below:

I have only been using it for a few days so I can't speak on the effectiveness yet.

What I have noticed so far in the few days of use is a faint, warm sensation when applied to the skin. Nothing unpleasant, it actually feels like I am applying a warm towel to my skin. I have also noticed that my skin is being purged (small pimples are coming to the surface that were obviously waiting for the right moment to pop up). I was very worried about this and though perhaps I was having a bad reaction to the product, but have since realised it's normal.

I apply the serum after cleansing, toning and applying essence. I leave it on for about 10 minutes before applying my eye cream, day/night cream and sun cream. I have noticed that my skin is a lot more mattified since I added this serum into my routine, and I have also been very pleasantly surprised to notice that I no longer have flaky skin on my nose area. I am very excited to see more results and will report back after a few more weeks of use.

You can buy the Klairs Vitamin Drop serum on Wishtrend for $17.25 by clicking the button below.

I have also recently added the much talked about Misha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence & Toner to my skin care routine and will be making a video on them very soon. 

{This review and all the reviews on my blog are honest and my own personal experience with the product. Please note this post contains affiliate links which means that should you purchase something though one of these links I receive a very small commission}

Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Powder Fit {Video Review}

I was most pleasantly surprised when I tried out this BB cream. I had read really great things about it online, but reviews only go so far and I always worry about BB creams making my skin look ghostly pale. Luckily this is not the case for this BB cream. With a lovely powdery scent, and a wonderful powder finish, this BB cream has crept into my heart and my makeup table, finding it's way as a close contender for my favourite Klairs Supple Illuminating BB Cream. 

One thing (and it really is only a small gripe) is with the white tube. White and foundation don't go together vey well. I took these photographs after only using this BB cream once, and I got foundation smudges on the side of the tube. That's why my tube looks a little dirty. That problem is easily solved if you use a Foundation brush though!

Here is a little video review I made of this product, as well as a quick tutorial showing you how I made up my face after using the Precious Mineral Cotton Fit BB cream.

You get 60g of product in each tube, so it's going to last you a long, long time. As you can see, the easy to use dispenser gives you just enough product for an even application. In the photographs below you can see just how seamlessly the product glides into my skin.

I would say one layer will give you medium coverage, but this BB cream is very build-able. One more pump and you would have a high coverage foundation with all the other great properties of BB creams (sun protection, moisture & cover).

The Precious Mineral BB Cream Cotton Fit only comes in 3 shades; 

No. 2 Light Beige

No. 13 Natural Beige

No.25 Honey Beige

I chose the middle shade, Natural Beige and it's perfect for my Olive skin. It is currently winter here in Korea and my skintone has faded slightly, but I am usually MAC NW 25.

Have you tried this BB cream before? What did you think? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below. 

Innisfree Eco Safety Perfect Sunblock 50+ PA++ {Review}

Even though it's technically winter here in South Korea, whether you wear sunscreen (or suncream for my South African readers and sunblock for my American readers) should not be dependant on the season or weather. It should be worn every day regardless of how much sun you actually see in the sky.

For my own skin, I suffer from pigmentation (click here to read about my new wonder product from Innisfree) and one of the main causes of skin pigmentation is sun exposure. Having grown up in a country that has plenty of year round sunshine (South Africa) I was exposed to A LOT of sun growing up, and even though my parents were very cautions and made ma layer up with cream and hats when outside, I still spent a lot of my teenage years baking myself outside to achieve the perfect tan. Now that I am older and wiser (and the first few wrinkle...ahem, I mean 'laugh' lines are appearing) I have been making sure to wear a face suncream every day, without fail, and have incorporated it into my beauty regime. It's something that is just not worth missing out on. 

The Skin Cancer Foundation has the following to say about sunscreen:

Sunscreens are products combining several ingredients that help prevent the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin. Two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB, damage the skin, age it prematurely, and increase your risk of skin cancer.

UVB is the chief culprit behind sunburn, while UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply, are associated with wrinkling, leathering, sagging, and other light-induced effects of aging (photo-aging). They also exacerbate the carcinogenic effects of UVB rays, and increasingly are being seen as a cause of skin cancer on their own. Sunscreens vary in their ability to protect against UVA and UVB.

What about SPF?

Most sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher do an excellent job of protecting against UVB. SPF — or Sun Protection Factor — is a measure of a sunscreen's ability to prevent UVB from damaging the skin. Here's how it works: If it takes 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to start turning red, using an SPF 15 sunscreen theoretically prevents reddening 15 times longer — about five hours.

Another way to look at it is in terms of percentages: SPF 15 filters out approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 keeps out 97 percent and SPF 50 keeps out 98 percent. They may seem like negligible differences, but if you are light-sensitive, or have a history of skin cancer, those extra percentages will make a difference. And as you can see, no sunscreen can block all UV rays.

Thankfully, these days, suncreams are no longer these thick lotions that turn you a ghostly shade of pale, and there are so many skin care lines that are producing suncreams with various properties. I have always been a BIG fan of the FaceShop's range of suncreams (like their Oil Cut range which is great for oilier skin and provides a matte finish) and ha been alternating between that and their Natural Sun Eco Power Long Lasting Suncream. That was until I tried the Eco Safety Perfect Sunblock from Innisfree. 

As you can see this particular suncream has an SPF factor of 50+ and is PA+++. 

So what does PA+++ mean? PA is a Japanese/Korean rating system that shows how much protection you are getting from UVA rays. You will see either PA+, PA++, or PA+++ on the label, with more + signs meaning a higher level of UVA protection.  

The Eco Safety Perfect Sunblock from Innisfree combines all of my needs in a suncream. It's mattifying, non-greasy and acts as a primer for my skin, allowing my makeup to glide on top effortlessly. It sinks into my skin instantly so no waiting around for that typical suncream shine to go away. 

The Innisfree Eco Safety Perfect Sunblock SPF 50+ PA+++ is made with organic sunflower oil and organic green tea grown on Jeju island in Korea. It’s also made with their famous “5 free” formula. According to Innisfree, their products are free of parabens, artificial dyes, ethanol, animal ingredients, and mineral oil. 

I have normal to combination skin (although it is drier in Winter times and oilier in the summer) and right now this suncream is perfect for my skin type. If you have oilier skin, Innisfree does offer a formula called Eco Safety No Sebum Sunblock which absorbs sebum and provides more of a matte finish. I find currently, this formula offers the perfect makeup base for my skin and I love how soft and smooth my skin is after using it. 

The cream is a thick, white formulation which I didn't find left a white cast on my skin at all. I have an olive skin tone (which is much darker than most Koreans) and yet I didn't find that my skin had a white cast at all after application. You can see my hand in the before and after photographs below. 

I will most definitely be repurchasing this suncream when mine runs out and have been most impressed with the formula as well as what a great makeup base it is.

And incase you're still wondering whether you should be wearing suncream, maybe this video will convince you...

Are there any sun care products that you current love? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Innisfree Whitening Pore Synergy Serum {Review}

Innisfree established itself in Korea in 2007 as the first natural beauty brand to set up shop in Korea and it markets itself as an authority on eco-friendly skincare. Their products feature extracts of pure ingredients from Jeju Island and are packaged in eco-friendly materials, making me, and a lot of other women, huge fans of this skincare brand. 

I have been using the Innisfree Whitening Pore Synergy Serum for a while now and I'm really excited to share my thoughts on it with you.

One of my biggest skin concerns is pigmentation. When I was younger I had pretty bad skin (lots of pimples and my skin was always inflamed from my constant touching and picking) and I tried a host of lotions and potions, eventually resorting to Ruaccutane which sorted my skin out after the second round of use. Since then I have been lucky to have pretty clear skin.

But, I do suffer from pigmentation, which I'm sure is a direct result of the contraceptive pill. I don't view my pigmentation as a dehabilitating thing, I know it's more of a vanity issue than anything else, but I am always interested in products that are specifically catering for this skin issues. I wear a factor 50+ sunscreen everyday, and wear a hat most of the time that I am outdoors to combat any further damage to my skin. It's the summer months when I am outdoors more and the sun is stronger, that my skin really suffers. I know there are more permanent options out there, like laser and peels but they scare me a bit and as I am pretty sure my skin is due to The Pill I am planning on waiting until after I have children before venturing into the realms of laser.

This serum claims to offer the combined goodness of an ampoule & an essence (if you're not sure what the difference is between the two click here) for an intensive whitening treatment. It claims to diminish dark spots and brighten uneven skin-tone.

On that note, here is a before and after of 4 weeks of use of this serum. All these photographs are unedited and I am not wearing any makeup in either of them. Although the lighting is a bit different, the results are quite drastic. These shots were all taken on my iPhone in the early morning after a light walk with my dog. I really hadn't noticed an actual difference in my skin tone until I put these photographs next to each other. Although the pigmentation is still noticeable on the right, my skin tone is much more even and looks a lot smoother and now after seeing these photographs together I think I am going to go and purchase ALL the other products in this range! 

I use this serum both day and night under either my  Innisfree Whitening Pore Cream (review to come soon) or my Innisfree Eco Science Cream (when I need more moisture) both of which I use at night. I wear this serum under my Nivea Q10 Day Cream for day time use. 

The serum comes in a pump dispenser with 50ml of product. The pump is great for measuring out the right amount of product without unnecessary wastage. I always seem to apply too much product to my skin and end up wiping my hands on my towel and wasting too much. The fact that this serum also comes in a pump means it is far more hygienic than sticking your fingers in a tub. 

I really wasn't expecting much from this product and have been quite shocked at the before and after photographs. The serum isn't cheap though and will set you back W28 000 at your local Innisfree store. You might want to wait until Innisfree has their monthly sales where most of their products are on sale for 30% - 50% off. This serum should last anywhere from 2 - 3 months with daily use (both morning and night) as you only need one pump of product per application. 

Have you used any of the Whitening Pore range from Innisfree? Did you notice any results? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Everyday Makeup Look Tutorial With Light Smokey Eye & Bright Lip (Video Tutorial)

I've been on my video game lately, having published two Youtube videos in one week! I'm feeling very inspired to continue making videos, so If there is anything in particular you'd like to see (beauty, lifestyle, life in Korea, more of my rescue pup!) let me know in the comments below. Also, I would so appreciate it if you could take a moment to subscribe to my channel by clicking here...thank you!

Today's post is an everyday makeup tutorial with a very light smokey eye and a bright lip thrown into the mix. This is my everyday makeup look that I wear to work here in Korea and it really doesn't take long to apply. I won't always wear face & eye primer, it depends on whether I remember to apply it and I don't wear eye liner everyday but since I found these 101 Play Eyeliners from Etude House, I wear eye liner more often. They are just so easy to use and are super long lasting.

Enjoy! x

I absolutely love the Innisfree Colour Glow lipstick featured at the end of the video (click here for a full review), it has such an amazing creamy texture and glides onto your lips so effortlessly. You don't need to fuss with putting it on, it just goes on where it's supposed to. I do wish it lasted longer, but that's the problem with creamier lipsticks. I don't mind reapplying it throughout the day though, its easy enough that you don't even need a mirror!

Here are full reviews of the products mentioned in the video. Just click on each image to see the full review.

Remember to leave me a comment below if there is something particular you want to see in my next video, I love hearing from you!

Etude House Play 101 Eyeliner Pencil in #3 & #18 {Review}

I recently picked up these eyeliners on sale at Etude House for only W3 000, 50% off their regular price of W6 000. I must say that I really wasn't expecting much from them considering they were on sale for so few pennies. I picked up the first one #18 by mistake. The saleslady gave me the wrong pencil by accident and I didn't realise until after I had used it. I was rather annoyed, until Farmboy commented on my makeup, saying how pretty it looked, and then I decided it was actually rather a nice new addition to the dark shades I already own.

#18 is a soft pastel shade of lilac and is very light. It goes on almost white (which is great for highlighting and opening up your eyes). I have noticed a lot of Koreans use a light shade of eyeliner/glitter dust on their waterline which opens up their eyes and makes them look brighter and larger.

#3 is my favourite of the two and is a smoky, glittery dark purple, grey shade. It's dark enough to finish off a smoky eye, but with the bits of glitter in it make it still very feminine, as opposed to vampy. I use this shade with both light makeup on my eyes as well as for a darker, smokier look.

These pencils are wind up, so no fussing with a pencil sharpener. They are also a gel-like consistency which makes them glide easily onto your eye lid. They are easily removed with makeup remover, but they stay put on your eyelid. I have used them with an eye primer and right on my lid with no base and they have lasted the entire day without smudging or going creasing. Pretty amazing little pencils.

I may return soon for some of their more playful colours (I spied a teal and an emerald green which could be fun to play around with).

Have you tried these eyeliners before? What did you think of them?

Innisfree Color Glow Lipstick in #7 & #11 {Review}

I am rather mad about Innisfree, one of Koreas first authorities on eco-friendly skincare. Innisfree uses extracts of pure ingredients from Jeju Island and  their products are packaged from eco-friendly packaging materials. There is a lot to love about this brand, and my Instagram feed is testimony to my love for their products. 

The Color Glow range of lipstick promises vivid pigmentation with a moisturising formula. They have a buttery texture, and are very easy to apply in their twist up tubes. Due to their moisturising formula, they don't last quite as long as matte lipsticks. I get about 3 hours of wear, a little more with #

#11 (pictured below) is a red shade with a mostly orange tint. It also has little glitter pigment which makes for a pretty sparkle on your lips. I find that the glitter pigment does mean that the texture is a little rough on the lips but because of this I find it has more staying power than #7 which doesn't have the same glitter texture. It's not uncomfortable by any means, but it's not as smooth as the other shades in this range. I like having the option though and use this shade of red when I'm not feeling bold enough for my Innisfree Cream Mellow lipstick in #8.

The bottom of this lipstick shows a very red colour, but the actual shade is far more coral than red. As you can see below when worn on the lips, this is far more orange that the actual tube suggests.

#7 (pictured below) is a soft fuchsia shade that wears down to more of a purple shade after a few hours. The texture of this particular shade is soft and silky, with glides onto your lips, feeling more like a lipgloss than a lipstick. I find I need more than a few coats of, whereas #11 only requires two coats for a strong look. This shade is very moisturising on my lips and doesn't dry them at out at all. I love the colour and find that it goes with just about everything.

Although it looks like a bright shade, it actually is very pretty and not 'in-your-face' like the tube suggests. This is my favourite of the two shades and I wear it almost daily.

You can buy these from your local Innisfree store for W12 000 each. I picked these up during the latest big sale at my local Innisfree for W6 000 a pop.

Innisfree Eco Science Eye Cream {Review}

The Eco Science range is an anti ageing line of products from one of Korea's natural skincare brands, Innisfree. It's no secret that I love Innisfree and spend an unhealthy amount of time in there (my Instagram feed is proof to my obsession with this brand!). 

I first read about this eye cream from Sheryl (one of my favourite Asian skincare gurus) and she raved about it. I had been using the Olay Total Effects Eye Transforming Cream (I even brought a tub over back in 2013 when we came to Korea the second time) but I must say this Innisfree one is even better. This is my second tube and I just can't get enough of it.

What it says on the box "This skincare product is naturally derived with wrinkle treatment that promotes skin vitality with marine plants from the clean and pure ocean of Jeju Island. It contains marine plants that are rich in Vitamin A and minerals to rejuvenate the ageing skin and to foster the self protective power of the skin.

The cream comes in a pump tube and dispenses exactly the right amount of cream for both eyes. I hate eye cream in tubs as I never know how much to use and either end up wasting it or not using enough and having dry under eye areas. This handy tube does all the guess work for you. 

I have most definitely noticed a reduction in the nasty little fine lines that started appearing around my eyes last year (I am going to say they are my smile and laughter lines because I am always smiling!).  My eye area looks plump and smooth after applying the cream and I love the texture of the cream. It's smooth and easily sinks into the skin.

I will be on to my third bottle soon, and even though it is on the pricier end of the scale (W28 000 for 30ml) it's absolutely worth it for me. I usually stock up my skincare products when Innisfree has their monthly 20% - 50% sales. 

Klairs Creamy Concealer Natural Fit Concealer Review

Welcome to Klairs' latest addition to their makeup range. This creamy concealer was designed to be used in conjunction with their Supply BB Cream (click here for a full review) but it works wonderfully by itself or under your own choice of makeup or bb cream.

I have been a big fan of Klairs for a while now, because their products are simple (they don't test on animals!), natural and they just work. I am an especially a big fan of their Black Sugar scrub (click here). If you'd like to know more about their products and read reviews of what I have tried and tested so far then click here. I get all my Klairs products from WishTrend who are an awesome online store that deliver world wide so no matter where you are in the world you can get your hands on amazing Korean beauty products.

Klairs Creamy Concealer Natural Fit

The Klairs Creamy Concealer Natural fit is a medium coverage product that works particularly well on my normal to oily skin. It blends seamlessly into my skin with or without my favourite Velvet Skin primer from the FaceShop. It covers up redness and does an okay job of dealing with my pigmentation. I am not into heavy makeup and prefer a natural look, and that is why I love this concealer so much. When I am needing a little more coverage I use this with the Klairs Supple BB cream and top it off with a dusting of translucent powder to set my look. 

My biggest skin concern when it comes to makeup is my pigmentation. I get the odd pimple here and there (and this concealer does a great job of covering them up even with just one payer of product). I know that there aren't that many products that offer full coverage for skin issues like pigmentation so I did not expect this concealer to provide full coverage. I find the products that do offer full coverage sit very heavily on my skin and I don't want to look like a barbie doll. This is why this concealer is just right for me in that it offers medium coverage without looking cakey. 

Depending on how I'm feeling I use this concealer alone, under my Innisfree Mineral pressed powder, and under/on-top my Klairs BB Cream. It has quite a thick consistency, which I really like as you feel like the product is actually going to provide coverage rather than those more liquid concealers which get absorbed into your makeup brush too easily. I use my favourite Sigma F80 flat topped kabuki brush to blend it into my skin. 

I have swatched the concealer below and you can see it's coverage in relevance to the freckle on the right. This concealer has medium coverage that is definitely buildable. The swatch below is from 1 layer of concealer. I have a medium skin shade (Mac NW 25) and I find this shade to work very well for my skin tone. If you have very light or fair skin, this shade would be a little dark for you. I would say it wouldn't be suitable for anyone with a lighter skin tone than NC 25.

This concealer only comes in one shade, which may be frustrating for some, but I have found that is similar to the Klairs BB cream which also only comes in one shade but suits a multitude of skin tones. But do bear in mind that my skin tone is an olive shade and I wear Mac NW25.

The Ingredients list:

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Polysorbate 80, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Yellow Oxide Of Iron, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Bentonite, Sodium Chloride, Black Oxide Of Iron, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Red Oxide Of Iron, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Chlorphenesin, Talc, Xanthan Gum, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Fragrance, Tocopheryl Acetate, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Hibiscus Mutabilis Flower Extract, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract

You can purchase this Concealer online from WishTrend for $14.99.

If you enter this code 052313605 at check out, you can also save yourself $5!

Disclosure: I received the above products for review purposes but the opinions expressed here are 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission should you make a purchase using one of the links. 

Innisfree Eco Science Cream {Review}

The Eco Science range is an anti ageing line of products from one of Korea's natural skincare brands, Innisfree. It's no secret that I love Innisfree and spend an unhealthy amount of time in there (my Instagram feed is proof to my obsession with this brand!). This is my second purchase of the Eco Science Cream, which I just love. 

This cream is enriched with natural anti-ageing active ingredients from marine plants and botanical extracts from Jeju Island and is said to 'regenerate skin and provide nutrients for a self-protective skin'. As I am going into my late twenties, I have started to notice a few extra lines (I am going to call these laugh lines and say they are from squinting with my camera and not because I am getting old!). I had heard only good things about the Eco Science range of products which are aimed at ageing skin.

In Korea, most skincare lines will carry a cream & a lotion (which is sometimes referred to as an emulsifier). Lotions/Emulsifiers are very light moisturisers which would best suit skin in summer, or very oily skin due to the lighter texture. These are usually water based. Creams on the other hand are have a much thicker texture and are used in winter, or for those with dry to very dry skin. During Winter this was my go to moisturiser which saved my skin from the harsh winds and snow, as well as the indoor heating which can wreck havoc on your skin. I now use this every other evening as my night cream, or when I feel like my skin is thirtsy.

The light grey coloured cream has a thick texture and comes in a round, white tub. The tub is filled with cream (80ml of product) so no sneaky packaging has been used to give the appearance of more product. I always get so cross when I open up a cream and see half the bottle is purely packaging, this is so wasteful (financially and environmentally!). Luckily for us, Innisfree is all about being ECO friendly and is great with their packaging (their boxes are even all printed with soy ink!).

The texture of the cream when applied to your skin is sticky, and depending on how dry your skin is, it might take a little while for the product to sink in. I have found that in summer it takes a long time for it to sink into my skin. This can be a bit annoying as I sometimes feel like I am leaving residue on my pillow. This is why I would recommend it for winter or for anyone with very dry skin.

Whenever I wake up after using this the night before my skin is incredibly smooth and plump and feels firmer to the touch. I have also been using this with the Eco Science Eye Cream (this is my favorite eye cream...review to come soon) and most recently with the Eco Science Skin toner (review to come soon).

I recently purchased the Whitening Pore Cream (review to come soon) and use it interchangeable at night with this one.

If you're wondering where a cream fits into your beauty regime, it's broken down on the side of the box:

Cleanser- Skin (toner) - Lotion  - serum - wrinkle spot essence/recover spot essence - eye cream - cream 

The Korean skincare regime is extensive, with most women using a serum, essence, lotion AND cream every day. I simply don't have the time and use a cleanser, toner, cream and eye cream with a suncream during the day. I will be doing a breakdown of my current summer skincare regime soon.

I am on my second tub of this cream (it comes in a 80ml tub) and will definitely be repurchasing more when winter comes. It is on the pricier side at W28 000, but I try and stock up when Innisfree has their monthly 20% - 50% sales. Also, 80ml of product lasts me over 3 months so it's definitely worth the price for the amount of uses you get out of each tub.

Innisfree Mineral UV Whitening Pact Powder Review

After finishing my third refill of my favorite Mac Studio Pressed powder I decided I needed to find a local Korean brand instead of forking out the exorbitant prices for international brands sold here. I have tried a few pressed powders but I just haven't been happy enough with them to post a review until I found this one at Innisfree. 

Innisfree is one of Korea's most popular skin care and makeup brands. Their products are made up of natural ingredients harnessed from Jeju Island and their packaging is all eco-friendly. They have been involved in a number of environmental projects like their Eco- Hankerchief Campaign:

 

"If the habit of using a handkerchief instead of tissues 
can save a tree, wouldn’t that make your skin and the Earth smile?

Your small contributions affect 
everyone and save trees, protect 
green forests, and reduce 
global-warming"

Innisfree Eco Hanky Campaign

What first  drew me to this powder pact was the fact that it contains SPF 50+ which means that even though I use a sunscreen everyday, my skin is getting added protection from my makeup too. Along with the high SPF in this mineral powder, it also contains PA+++ which means greater protection from UVA rays (the ones that penetrate deeper into our skin and cause more long term damage). Although unofficial, the more plus signs a product is labelled with, the more protection it offers. This is however not something that is recognized by the FDA but rather just something you would generally find on Asian products. So it goes something like this: PA+ -> PA+++ with PA+++ being the highest (Thank you to A FINE MESS for the explanation of PA+++)

Don't get scared off by the 'whitening' part of the name of this product. Whitening means brightening here in Korea, and doesn't mean that the product is going to bleach your skin and make you look like Casper's long lost girl friend. Clear, bright and luminous skin is highly sought after here in Korea with many women covering up every part of their body exposed to the sun when outside (I'm talking about gloves, arm socks when driving, visors, peaks and even face masks). It's no wonder that Korean women have some of the most youthful looking complexions in the world. They really know how to take care of their skin, and this is particularly evident in their skincare products. 

It's long-lasting a blends seamlessly into my skin, setting my foundation and concealer beautifully without looking cakey. I definitely have naturally darker skin than the majority of Koreans and yet I found this shade (#23 True Beige) is perfectly suited to my skin and doesn't give me a ghost like appearance like a lot of other powders I have tried. This product comes in 3 shades (#13 Light Beige, #21 Medium Beige & this one pictured, #23 True Beige).

 Here is a full list of the ingredients in English:

Talc, Mica (CI 77019), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Silica, Nylon-12, Zinc Oxide (CI 77947), Trimethylolpropane Triethylhexanoate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Oil Soluble Licorice(Glycyrrhiza) Extract, Mineral Salts, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Powder, Aloe Vera Leaf Extract, Coconut Oil, Green Tea Extract, Orange Peel Extract, Orchid extract, Camellia Leaf Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Magnesium Myristate, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Methicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethicone, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydroxyapatite,Water, Butylene Glycol, Fragrance, Yellow Iron Oxide (CI 77492), Red Iron Oxide (CI 77491), Black Iron Oxide (CI 77499) 

I paid W12 000 for this powder while it was on sale at my local Innisfree (the pact is usually W18 000). Another great thing about this power pact is that the powder itself is refillable, so you won't be having to pay the full price for the packaging when you repurchase. You simply buy the power insert which is W10 000 when not on sale.

Innisfree Soy Essence Curling Mascara {Review}

Who doesn't love a mascara that actually does what it says? This curling mascara from Innisfree does exactly as promised and curls my lashes to infinity. It doesn't provide much volume, but who needs volume when your lashes reach sky high right? My only grouch with it is just how tough it is to remove. You really need to go to town with your makeup remover, and even then you will probably need to do a double cleanse of your favourite cleanser; mine being this gentle deep cleansing oil from Klairs. 

But, even though it's hard to take off at the end of the day, this means it is most definitely able to stand up to a good cry or even worse, the hot and humid Korean summer which is well on its way.

The brush that comes with this Soy Essence Curling mascara is perfect for reaching each and every lash. You do need to work quickly though to avoid clumps. I find using an eyelash curler first before applying this mascara works best for me.

And now for some blurry Instagram photos to show you just how magical the length of your lashes can be.

Are there any Korean mascaras you've tried that you love? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Innisfree Face Designing Duo Contour & Highlighter {Review}

This duo highlighter and face contour powder is one of my current makeup favourites! You can see it in action in my 'Get Ready With Me Youtube Video'. 

Half of the compact is a highlighter, and the other half is a darker shade specifically for contouring. If any of you are wondering what exactly contouring is, it's basically using different shades of makeup to slightly change the appearance of your face structure. In other words, defining your cheekbones, slimming areas and giving you a more defined face. I have always been very put off by the huge number of steps involved in a lot of contouring tutorials. Most contouring involves the use of both a highlighter and a contour powder and so this powder helps me to take a lot of the guess work out of which powder should go where as it's already got both products in one. This powder works best with an angled makeup brush (pictured below) as an this type of brush really helps to define and contour without spreading product all over the place.

This particular product comes in three shades; #1 Cozy Afternoon Sunlight, #2 Calm Sunset and #3 Leafy Path. I have shade #2 which I found to be just right for my skin tone. The shade on the left hand side is the highlighter and contains shimmer pigments which really give your face a pretty glow. The darker shade on the right is the contouring shade. Both are highly pigmented and I found it lasts all day long! You can use each side separately for a definition, or use them like I do, together, for an easy and subtle highlighting and contouring effect.

Image from InnisfreeWorld

I bought mine at the Innisfree store in my town for W12 000. 

Have you ever tried this highlighter and contour powder? Do you have any other contouring or highlighting products that you love? Please share them below!

Innisfree Eco Beauty Angled Makeup Brush & Powder Brush

On a recent splurge at Innifree I spent some time browsing through their range of makeup  brushes. They have quite a large range and I was rather intrigued especially when I saw their Eco Beauty range which has wooden handles (the ones pictured in this post are part of the Eco Beauty range). They reminded me of my favourite Eco Tools Brush set which I was able to buy online through Iherb (click here) and have delivered here to South Korea.

At the time I was buying my favorite Face Designing Duo  highlighter and contour powder (review coming soon) and so was on the look out for a brush to apply it. Angled makeup brushes work really well for applying blush or highlighters as you have a lot more control over where you want the product to go. I bought the Eco Beauty Powder Brush and the Angled makeup brush. Keep reading for a more detailed review of both brushes.

As Innisfree is a one of the more natural orientated skincare brands here in Korea (they use less nasty chemicals in their products) all of their brushes are synthetic and animal lover approved, at least by me that is!

Eco Beauty Powder Brush W12 000

I love this powder brush. The bristles are super soft and very gentle on your skin. I use it to apply my setting powder over foundation and it works really well. I am a little sad that the bristles are white, as it's hard to keep them looking clean and new. This is also one of the reasons why I only use it to apply my setting powder and not as a blusher or bronzer brush.

The wooden handle is one of the many things I really like about this brush as it gives it a very professional and clean appearance. The synthetic bristles are not itchy on the skin like a lot of other cheaper skin care brands and I really like the little cover that comes with the brush to help keep it's shape and to help keep it clean.

Eco Beauty Angled Brush W8 000

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this angled brush. I love it because it works really well to apply my bronzer and highlighter, but I hate it because of the fall out (fall our refers to the actual bristles of a brush coming loose and falling out). Even though I have been using it for a few months, I am still experiencing fall out of the bristles, and it gets really annoying having to constantly worry about bristles going into my eye. It could just be that I got a bit of a dysfunctional brush, but I was very disappointed. As my Korean is rather limited, going back to the store and asking for a refund is more trouble that it's worth to me, trying to explain a dysfunctional brush and then hoping they refund me or give me a new one. 

But even with the annoyance of fall out, the bristles are soft enough whilst still being course enough in picking up a good amount of product for application. The bristle are not as soft as the powder brush though, and might irritate very sensitive skin. I will continue to use this brush until the day there are no bristles left in it, or until I find a nicer looking one. I really like the wooden handles of these brushes and I especially like how they match my EcoTools brushes. It's the small things in life right? 

I wasn't too mad as I had picked up both of these brushes during one of Innisfree's 30 - 50% off sales and so didn't pay full price for either of them. But if I was paying full price I would give the angled brush a skip but I would repurchase the powder brush for sure.

Have you given any of Innisfree's Eco Tool makeup brushes a try? Any others that you would recommend? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Elisha Coy 3D Spin Cleaner {Review & Video}

I have been wanting to try out this face cleansing tool ever since I first spotted it on WishTrend. Then when I saw it was on special for only $48 instead of the usual $120, I ordered it right away and haven't looked back since. This little beauty has been an amazing addition to my skin care routine, giving me smoother, brighter and softer skin than ever before.

WishTrend currently has the face cleaner as part of an ElishaCoy Cleansing kit which includes the cleaner, 2 brush heads and the ElishaCoy Vita Capsule Cleanser all for $48 instead of the usual $120. 

The one brush is a large white, soft bristled brush designed for everyday use. It's very gentle on your skin and my skin (which is often very sensitive to new products) has had no bad reaction to either the brush or the Vita Capsule Cleanser. I was a little worried that my skin would be red and agitated after use, but that hasn't been the case at all. The whole experience of using this brush incredibly relaxing. After filming the video below, even my husband wanted to give it a try. The first thing he told me was how surprised he was at the how relaxing he felt using it. If you are still worried about your skin having a reaction, then try using it twice a week until your skin feels used to it. I use the brush every other day, in total about 4 times a week. It is gentle enough to use everyday, so see how you skin feels after the first use.

The bristles are incredibly soft and feel like silk on your skin. The smaller brush is designed to target blackheads and works in the same way as the larger brush head but as it is smaller is able to really get into the corners around you nose to deep clean your pores.

Both the brush head rotate 360 degrees allowing the bristles to thoroughly cleanse your pores and scrub deep down removing dirt and other impurities. The cleaner runs on 2 AA sized batteries which are inserted into the bottom and covered with a waterproof piece of plastic to make sure you don't electrocute yourself in the bathtub. The Cleansing kit from Wishtrend includes 2 batteries so you can get scrubbing right away.

I've used a lot of face scrubs before (my favourite being this one from SkinFood and this one from Klairs) but even these don't clean my skin like this little machine does. What's great about it is you can use it with your regular face cleanser for a much deeper clean. Just squeeze a dollop of your face wash onto the bristles, dip the brush head into water, place on your face and press the on button. Slowly move the brush over your face, being careful not to get any product in your eyes and then after a few minutes, rinse off with warm water. Your skin will feel softer, cleaner and ready for the rest of your skincare routine. The brush has two settings, fast and slow, so you can adjust accordingly to your skin. I started off the slowest setting, and now only use the fast setting.

The biggest thing I have noticed with my skin after using this cleaner is how much better the rest of my skin care products respond to my skin. Everything I put on after cleansing literally melts into my skin. I no longer have to stand around rubbing my face for ages to wait for creams to absorb and as a result, my foundation goes on better. What this means for your skin is your pores are squeaky clean and able to absorb so much more of the active ingredients in your creams, lotions and serums. I hadn't expected to feel such a difference in the rest of my skin care routine, but I have pleasantly surprised.

ElishaCoy Vita Capsule Cleanser

This foam cleanser works wonderfully with the 3D Spin Cleaner. It leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean without over drying and leaves me with brighter skin after every use. This cleanser is formulated for all skin types and a contains a blend of 10 different vitamin capsules. Although formulated as a thick and rich cream, once mixed with water it becomes a fluffy and light foam. 

The tube contains 80ml of product, and as you only need a little to get a rich foam, it's going to last you a good long time. I love the scent of the cleanser too, it's light and refreshing and leaves me feeling thoroughly pampered like I've just been to the spa. 

Here is a quick little video of me giving you a quick preview of this cleansing brush. As you can see, I'm all about the pink...

Have you ever used a face brush or cleansing tool like this one? Do you want to try one? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!