Project Make a Dent No. 4 | Half Year Update

12:12:00 AM mandy 0 Comments

This is a progress report to be proud of! Never would I have thought my picks would empty so quickly especially when I have so many blush and eyeshadow options. When excluding my tendencies to over-swirl and -scoop products, I attribute the success to using more combinations of blush (cream + powder) and using multipurpose eyeshadow colors (highlight, contour, & eyeliner).



As with past Project Make a Dents the results for certain items didn't look so drastic until I compared the before and after shots side-by-side. I am hoping there will be just as much progress in the latter half of 2018. I may never see the pan in the powder blushes and eyeshadows but making an even larger dent would suffice.

VDL MULE Ultimate Cover Palette A03

The unexpected and most drastic update award would most likely go to this VDL palette. I never thought I would be able to pan out so much of the two cream blushes yet here I am. I am about halfway finished with the cream foundation. Scooping out the product first rather than dipping a brush directly into the cream helped a lot.

Kate Lasting High Coverage Powder Foundation OC-C

Pressed powders almost never get completely used up. By the time I expose enough of the middle pan, any brush swirling increases the chances of the outer ring of powder crumbling into unusable pieces. It is just not worth the effort to re-crush the powder in order to continue usage.

I am glad I could finally let this powder foundation go. It wasn't a terrible product but wasn't the most favorite part of my makeup routine.

Skinfood Salmon Dark Circle Powder

Quite possibly the most satisfying comparison photo. I genuinely thought I hadn't used much of the loose powder. I guess I remembered beginning with less than I thought?  Using the product as an overall face setting powder instead of just on the under eyes area seems to have helped get through this quicker.

MAC Cosmetics Mineralized Skinfinish in Pink Power

Considering how large this baked powder is, I am proud of how flat the dome has gotten. It still seems like there is a long ways to go before all the rings are fully visible. At this point, I have given up on using the remainder of the highlighter/blush shades.

Milani Minerals Blushes in Sweet Rose and Luminous & MAC Cosmetics My Highland Honey

Out of the 3 powder blushes I picked for the year, I have consistently used the bottom two thus far. Sweet Rose was great during the winter months when I seemed to gravitate towards dustier/cooler shades. My Highland Honey is currently in my makeup mix simply because of how bright and sunny it looks. I intend to swap in Luminous in a few months time.

VDL Tint Bar Triple Shot in 502 Triple Burgundy and 101 Triple Pink

I have to confess, I didn't reach for these at all during the colder months of 2018. Buying the JUNGSAEMMOOL and Maybelline lipsticks kept my interests preoccupied for a while. I have only recently started to use the Triple Burgundy shade VDL Tint Bar but progress has been made. These are two products I cannot wait to complete; not that they're not good nor I don't like the gradient look but I think I have outgrown the finish these give.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

The dents in these eyeshadow pans are so encouraging. I think some greed has grown within me to see at least one of these shades hit pan. Luckily I found it easy using some colors in large amounts (Virgin, Sin, and Half Baked) as they are great for facial highlight. There was a phase during these last 6 months where I mixed Naked and Buck together as a nose contour.

While I used Milani's Sweet Rose blush, I loved pairing it with Sidecar, Toasted and Hustle. As I am using MAC My Highland Honey, I tend to reach for Naked, Bucked, and Darkhorse or Half Baked, Smog, and Darkhouse in those combinations. I am not sure what to pick when I switch over to Milani's Luminous blush nor if I'll ever use Creep and Gunmetal. Next challenge perhaps?

The Lotus Essence with Lotus Leaf Extract 89%

11:26:00 PM mandy 0 Comments

Lotus leaf extract doesn't sound quite as exotic yet it is still a unique ingredient in the beauty world. The Lotus brand touts the extract as something of an anti-ager and antioxidant-rich star—clearly something worth basing their entire brand towards. They carry essences, serums, mists, creams, shampoos, and even teas; The Lotus Essence with Lotus Leaf Extract 89% boasts the highest concentration of lotus leaf extract to soothe, hydrate, and brighten.



The Lotus' description:

The Lotus has formulated a deeply hydrating essence (serum) blended with 89% lotus extract.

Lotus leaves have the natural antibiotics, flavonoids which has anti-aging effect. The leaves contain detoxicating agents, iron, vitamin C, potassium and tannin and 20 times more calcium than green tea leaves. They have twice more protein than common vegetables and dietary fiber as much as apples.

Lotus leaves are natural antibiotics and antioxidants which benefit the skin.

Formulated without: Parabens, Synthetic Dye Free.

Ingredients
NELUMBO NUCIFERA LEAF EXTRACT, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, NIACINAMIDE , HYDROGENATED C6-14 OLEFIN POLYMERS, GLYCERYL OLEATE CITRATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, CARBOMER, TROMETHAMINE, WATER, XANTHAN GUM, STYRENE/ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, CITRUS MEDICA LIMONUM (LEMON) PEEL OIL, ADENOSINE, DISODIUM EDTA, COCO-GLUCOSIDE, OCTYLDODECANOL, HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES OIL, GLYCERYL POLYMETHACRYLATE, RIBES NIGRUM (BLACK CURRANT) SEED OIL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, BENZOIC ACID, CITRIC ACID, CITRUS UNSHIU PEEL EXTRACT, ORCHID EXTRACT, CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, CAMELLIA JAPONICA LEAF EXTRACT, OPUNTIA COCCINELLIFERA FRUIT EXTRACT, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, CERAMIDE 3(CERAMIDE NP), HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL UNSAPONIFIABLES, SODIUM LACTATE, TOCOPHEROL, CARDIOSPERMUM HALICACABUM FLOWER/LEAF/VINE EXTRACT, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF EXTRACT, PALMITOYL TRIPEPTIDE-1, LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) OIL, PELARGONIUM GRAVEOLENS FLOWER OIL, CITRUS AURANTIUM DULCIS (ORANGE) PEEL OIL

Essence 125 ml / 4.2 fl oz

The Lotus (Korean retail): ₩50,000
The Lotus (USA retail): USD $64.00
Peach & Lily: USD $64.00
BeautyBoxKorean: USD $52.97

Packaging

Essence comes in a sturdy translucent plastic bottle with a pump (which does not have a twist-lock mechanism). The expiration is clearly printed on the bottom.

The Lotus does everything right with the packaging's functionality. I love being able to see through the bottle; it allows me to spot how much of the actual product is left. I appreciate that the tube inside which connects to the pump is long enough to reach the bottom and then some so I can easily get out every last drop of essence. I have never had an issue with the pump clogging up (but the formulation of the essence probably also plays a big part). Plus the beautiful artwork on the inside of the box is a great touch.

Color, Texture, Finish, & Scent

Looks milky in the bottle but comes out to be on the clearer side, and even more transparent once blended into the skin. There is some viscosity but isn't overly thick or sticky, just enough to keeps it general shape on a level-ish surface. The essence spreads easily into a water-like texture. My skin absorbs the product quickly, leaving behind no residue, and looks almost as if I applied nothing while still feeling moisturized. The essence has a light fruity...floral (?) scent; not overpowering nor lingers long.

How I Apply

Apply after cleansing and toner. Directly squirt onto my face, once on the forehead, once on each cheek, and once on my neck. Lightly smooth the essence evenly and pat the product in, if I feel like it, otherwise, I let it sit a few minutes to absorb on its own. Use twice daily, in AM and PM.

Thoughts & Recommendations

Anyone can benefit from including antioxidants into a routine. They're supposed to protect against the environment, firm, and brighten—all of which we inevitably have to battle against forces of nature and time to prevent. The Lotus' essence is very lightweight and supposedly packs a punch of said antioxidants with the 89% concentration of the lotus leaf extract.

One bottle of essence lasted me a good five months (plus or minus a few days) of twice daily usage. It hydrates most of my skin well; it just wasn't nourishing enough for the more stubborn patches of dryness I am prone to having no matter the weather conditions. I found it lacking in the winter months especially and had to layer other products in addition to the essence. My skin does feel softer where it is typically normal/oily.

The brightness of skin is a hard quality to measure in my opinion. I don't think my skin tone is noticeably different after using the essence. Sometimes my face does seem more glowy when I wake up after using the product but I can't say for sure it was solely the essence alone.

I cannot comment on its anti-aging properties as I don't have fine lines or wrinkles yet. However, I also don't believe using just one bottle of an antioxidant-based product could produce long-term results in the anti-aging department.

The biggest reason why I don't like to use the essence is how flushed and slightly stingy my face feels after immediate application. The feeling only lasts for about a minute or so and oddly enough only on my face (not neck nor hand) but unpleasant nonetheless. There isn't an especially harsh ingredient in there which makes it even more puzzling. I have gone through pages of reviews on the Peach & Lily site and I seem to be the sole minority.

A repurchase is unlikely since I want to believe there is an antioxidant based product that my skin won't react to even if momentarily—especially if the retail price is USD $60+. Otherwise, I loved the formulation of the essence: lightweight and a non-sticky finish. While many dry skin customers seem to love this product, I personally think it would be best for those with any skin but dry skin, live in a climate with humidity or generally prefer a weightless product. Sensitive skin may want to take caution as there are a few typical essential oils (lavender, orange, etc.).

NEOGEN DERMALOGY Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling - Green Tea & Lemon

9:26:00 PM mandy 0 Comments

Names can often be misleading, especially when it comes to Korean beauty products. While the Neogen Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling pads do exfoliate and remove any other stubborn impurities typical cleansing fail to remove, it does so without physical peeling of the skin. On the contrary, the pads are effective and come with no scaly downtime as other stronger actives may have. I can definitely see where all the hype and love for this Neogen line comes from.



Neogen's description:

Gentle Peeling // Manual Exfoliation Pads soaked in Serum Help Remove Dead Skin Cells, Cleanse, and Purify the Skin.

Relaxed and Hydrated Skin // Mineral Ingredients from the Green Tea Helps Refresh the Skin While Replenishing Moisture to the Skin.

Brighter, More Radiant Skin // Lemon Serum Abundant in Vitamins Delivers Brighter, Healthier and Refreshed Skin

Smoother Skin // Patented 3-layer 100% Cotton Gauze Pads Deliver Smoother, Improved Skin Texture.

Exfoliation that is so easy, convenient, effective yet gentle. Patented hypoallergenic cotton gauze pads provide a dual texture layer to gently exfoliate dead skin cells, excess sebum, and impurities and softly wipe away exfoliated skin to even out textures while delivering skin benefiting ingredients in the process.

Green Tea
Soaked in Green Tea formula serum that also contains other various ingredients like Centella Asiatica extract; these convenient cotton gauze peeling pads will not only leave your skin smoother but also refreshed, refined, and revitalized. Enjoy the benefits of Green Tea!

Lemon
Soaked in Vitamin C rich serum formulated from various antioxidant and vitamin-rich natural ingredients, these convenient cotton gauze peeling pads will leave your skin smoother, radiant, and brighter than ever. It is like sunshine in a jar for your skin!

Directions
After cleansing, use one gauze to gently sweep across dry face and neck in outward motion avoiding eye area. Apply more to problem area and rinse with lukewarm water. Follow with your daily toning.

* For best results, use twice a week or as needed.

Ingredients
Green Tea
WATER (AQUA), DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL, CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, GLYCERIN ,ALCOHOL DENAT., PEG/PPG-17/6 COPOLYMER, CENTELLA ASIATICA EXTRACT, ARTEMISIA VULGARIS EXTRACT, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, HOUTTUYNIA CORDATA EXTRACT, GARDENIA FLORIDA FRUIT EXTRACT, MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF EXTRACT, COPTIS JAPONICA EXTRACT, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, BENZOPHENONE-5, SODIUM HYALURONATE, CARBOMER, TROMETHAMINE, PEG-60 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, PHENOXYETHANOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF OIL, DISODIUM EDTA, FRAGRANCE (PARFUM)

Lemon
WATER (AQUA), BUTYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, CITRUS LIMON (LEMON) FRUIT EXTRACT, ALCOHOL DENAT., PEG/PPG-17/6 COPOLYMER, CITRUS AURANTIUM DULCIS (ORANGE) FRUIT EXTRACT, CITRUS UNSHIU PEEL EXTRACT, CARICA PAPAYA (PAPAYA) FRUIT EXTRACT, CYMBOPOGON SCHOENANTHUS EXTRACT, MELISSA OFFICINALIS LEAF EXTRACT, CITRUS PARADISI (GRAPEFRUIT) FRUIT EXTRACT, TRICHOLOMA MATSUTAKE EXTRACT, CORDYCEPS SINENSIS EXTRACT, PISUM SATIVUM (PEA) EXTRACT, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) FRUIT EXTRACT, SAURURUS CHINENSIS LEAF/ROOT EXTRACT, ARNICA MONTANA FLOWER EXTRACT, GLYCINE MAX (SOYBEAN) SEED EXTRACT, ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM EXTRACT, BROUSSONETIA KAZINOKI BARK EXTRACT, COPTIS JAPONICA EXTRACT, TROMETHAMINE, BENZOPHENONE-5, SODIUM HYALURONATE, CARBOMER, PEG-60 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, CI 19140, PHENOXYETHANOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, DISODIUM EDTA, FRAGRANCE (PARFUM)

Pads 30 pieces / 200 ml / 6.6 fl oz

Neogen (Korean retail): ₩22,900
Neogen (USA retail): USD $27.00
Sokoglam: USD $27.00
Sephora: USD $27.00

Packaging

Serum soaked rounds come in large plastic jars. One side of the pad has a gauze-like grid and the opposite a textured cotton. The color coordinates with whatever the "flavor" is: green for green tea, yellow for lemon, and purple for wine.

Each one comes in shrink-wrapped plastic and a large seal over the jar opening to ensure the product itself is fresh and untampered with. Since SOKOGLAM distributes the product in the United States, they slap on their own English-only label on the product—sometimes on the jar itself (pre-shrink wrap), sometimes on the removable plastic (post-shrink wrap).

The expiration date is printed on the container itself by the manufacturer.

**MAYBE IMPORTANT? // The ingredients list for this line differs depending on where I am looking. The label on the packaging itself says one thing, Neogen USA's website says another, and Soko Glam/Sephora notes something else. All three have similar ingredients (more or less) in varying ordering. The major difference is the lack of mention of the chemical exfoliants on the actual label and Neogen's official site when compared to Soko Glam's.

Color, Texture, Finish, & Scent

The scents of each are very strong. Green tea is refreshing while lemon packs a citrus punch. The smell doesn't last long once applied to the skin but it may be overpowering for some whilst in the jar.

There is only just enough liquid in the jar to keep the pads well moistened, not too dry but no drippy mess like with sheet masks. The serum itself is liquidy and lightweight. It doesn't seem to have any color from what I can tell, only the gauze side of the pads are colored. The serum leaves no residue and dries down to an invisible finish. However, the finish doesn't really matter since Neogen recommends users to rinse the face afterward. The pads also don't leave any lint behind after use.

How I Apply

After double cleansing, while my skin is still damp, I take a pad and gently swipe over my face then neck many times with the gauze surface until I feel adequately clean. I follow up with the cotton side as well but with even less gusto and wait a few minutes before rinsing.

I have recently started to separate the two halves to increase the number of uses I get from the Bio-Peel pads. It doesn't come apart cleanly but both sides work fine on their own.

Repeat above steps twice or three times a week (typically every 2 days).

Thoughts & Recommendations

I am not sure if I should or shouldn't categorize these as chemical exfoliators. Neogen doesn't state that the Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling has AHAs or BHAs, while Sokoglam does (tartaric acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid to be exact & with no mention of percentages). There is definitely an element of physical exfoliation happening with the gauze and textured cotton.

I found that both sides of the pad exfoliate my skin equally well; I can rely solely on either or. If I had to choose of course the gauze picks up and traps dirt better since it has a rougher surface. However, I can also see it being too harsh for those with super sensitive skin even with light swipes—friction is friction. My face gets a little red afterward from said friction but not because of any stinging reaction to the serum.

The most satisfying part of using these pads is seeing how much dirt (skin, oils, and other gunk) is on them despite having gone through two steps of cleansing. It just goes to show how ineffective typical makeup removers and cleansers are at getting rid of dead skin. These rounds are great for taking off stubborn-to-remove sunscreen especially on my neck and chest area.

My skin always feels so soft and smooth after each use. I am not sure if my skin just abnormally renews itself quickly or not but the softness only lasts about 1.5 days for me and 1 day in the driest/flakiest portions of my face (i.e. mouth, chin, and surrounding region). I won't fault the Bio-Peel here as no amount of moisturizing or exfoliation I have done so far has fixed this problem.

The Neogen Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling pads would work well for most skin types. Those with sensitive skin may want to stay away as the gauze is somewhat abrasive and the serum is formulated with denatured alcohol and fragrance. These may not be strong enough for those with tougher flaky issues.

A jar of pads is kind of pricey (USD $0.90 per pad), but the cost isn't terrible when usage can be doubled easily. I am not likely to repurchase them any time soon only because these kind of exfoliating pads are becoming very popular; I am a creature full of curiosity when it comes to skincare. But it is good to know that there is an option available that agrees with my skin.

May Haul

12:16:00 AM mandy 0 Comments

Just because I went a whole month without sharing anything beauty related on the blog doesn't mean I haven't kept my eyes peeled for interesting sales. Nothing truly piqued my interested since the JUNGSAEMMOOL purchase, so I thought I got through 2 months of no-buy. The keyword here is thought.

oo35mm sent out a newsletter with some interesting sale items the last week or so of May and my impromptu no-buy was therefore broken. The damage done wasn't too alarming this time around.

Rohto Hadalabo Gokujun Premium Hyaluronic Acid Lotion.  Orig. $18.99 + 20% off. $15.19
Pyunkang Yul Mist Toner 100ml. No Sale. $11.99
Benton Honest Tea Tree Mist. Orig. $11.99 + 20% off. $9.59
Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer Waterproof. Orig. $7.99 + 30% off. $5.59
Manyo Factory Skin Renew Vita E Ampoule. Orig. $18.00 + 50% off. $9.00

This month's justifications: My main objective was to purchase the Benton mist since I have heard good reviews for the brand overall but still have yet to try anything. When I saw that the Pyunkang Yul mist wasn't overly expensive and larger in size in comparison to the Benton mist it found its way into my basket as well. I have been meaning to get a hydrating lotion to use with the compressed sheet masks I bought a while back, Hadalabo just came to mind first. The Etude House eye primer and Manyo Factory ampoule were impulse buys. I spotted them in the sale section of the store; both items seem to have good reviews...what better chance to try them out than now?