Quick Review: OPI Avoplex High Intensity Hand & Nail Cream

Hi all! Just here to do a quick review about OPI Avoplex High Intensity Hand & Nail Cream today!

I got this as a gift from my friend but I've only started to use this recently. I love hand creams but I don't use them very religiously because Singapore's air is definitely NOT dry. lol. I started to use this because my hands were getting really dry from sitting under the aircon all day and they started to look really dry & old (!!). I always forget to use hand cream so I decided to put this by my bedside so that I'll remember to use it. I wasn't really having high expectations and I wasn't really expecting to see much effect until after a long term use. It was only until one day when I happened to look at my hands while I was typing and I noticed that my hands looked A  LOT better!! And they feel really smooth too. And that was after only using this for slightly more than a week.

I've also mentioned before that my nails became really weak after using a Holika Holika nail polish (sorry HH, I love your bb cream but the nail polish really made my nails horrible). My nails became really weak and it is those kind which you can... bend? that sounds really gross but I hope someone can relate to that. My nails broke easily but then, I thought that was inevitable because of my long nails (actually my nails aren't that long...). But now that I think of it, I think these problems only came after using that HH nail polish... ):
After using this OPI hand & nail cream, I realised my nails are also a lot stronger & harder! They look a lot healthier too. I was only expecting the cream to moisturise my skin, but it helped my nails too. I never really believed how a cream can help nails get stronger but now I'm proven wrong. I've also grown my nails out slightly longer than usual for my xmas manicure and my nails still did not break.

I personally don't really love the scent, but it isn't unpleasant. I use just a big pea size amount every night before I sleep. I can't use it during the day because I wash my hands really often and it is kinda a waste. But I find that just using it at night already helps my hands & nails a lot. I was actually trying to finish this tube up so that I can move on to other hand creams but now I find myself hoping that I won't run out of this!

I definitely recommend this hand & nail cream. It worked wonders for me. I read that it is also an award winning product. I actually never really cared about what awards a product has won because I've used a lot of great products that haven't won any awards anyway.

If you have any favourite hand & nail care products, do leave a comment & recommend them to me! :)

Haul: Beauty Blender, The Konjac Sponge Company, Sleek Makeup

 So we ordered from Luxola again because they had a 35% flash sale some time ago. My sis & I got a few things we've always wanted to try.

Sis convinced me to share a Pro Double Blenders from Beauty Blender with her. We have both read & heard a lot of good reviews on this product. I don't own a lot of makeup brushes and some days I use my fingers to apply my BB cream or liquid foundation. So I thought I'll probably use this often if this really works like everyone claim it does! I've seen (or read) people using this for foundation, concealer, and blush. I think its pretty multi-functional so it is good if you're just starting to try out makup tools and don't wanna buy all kinds of brushes for all kinds of applications. I'm just concerned about having to clean & store it well. I'm also wondering what's the lifespan of one! Beautyblender is also latex free, non-allergenic and odour free. 

Next, we each got one Konjac Sponge Puff with French Green Clay from The Konjac Sponge Company. Konjac sponges have been around for a while but I never got around to trying one because I don't know which brand is good! Are they all the same?? I like finding new cleansing products/tools to try out. I held back on getting this because the original price seem a little too much for something that is supposed to only last 2/3 months. But the reviews were all really good so I decided to try it out myself!! They have a small variety of sponges and I decided to get this French Green Clay version because it seemed like what I would need.

& lastly, I got myself the Face Form in Fair from Sleek Makeup!

I actually really like the packaging. It is really slim & great for travel. Moreover, its a 3-in-1 product so that makes it really handy!

I actually never owned any bronzer/contour/highlighting product before this and so I thought this is a good chance (& price) to try them out. I've read reviews saying that the contouring powder looks natural on the skin and doesn't make you look orange or muddy or just simply bronzer-gone-wrong -- which are my biggest concern. I also really love the blush.

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That's all for my mini haul!

lol.

Traffic Sources

Lol. I get it. I shall do more reviews on other brands as well!

Innisfree opens in SINGAPORE!

[Check out my posts on the opening of the 2nd & 3rd store in Singapore: 

Plaza Singapura: http://rebelheartx.blogspot.sg/2014/05/innisfree-singapore-haul-new-store-at.html

Bugis Junction: http://rebelheartx.blogspot.sg/2014/06/innisfree-singapore-haul-new-store-at.html]

Hello, everyone! Today I've got an exciting post to share with you all. 

Today, Innisfree opened in Singapore! Of course, being a big fan (see my past purchases), I made plans to go down to the store to check it out. I had planned to go there after work, but by a stroke of luck, I got an off day today! I wasn't that crazy to take leave just to go early! Anyway. I woke up early this morning (body clock!) and decided to go check out the store early. I've been looking forward to this date since August! I am home early, and instead of taking a nap, I decided to do this post because if I procrastinate, I'll procrastinate forever.

Innisfree is located at #B2-34/35, Takashimaya S.C. It is right next to the big fountain at B2 near the Atrium (where people like to sit around & eat). I think its quite a good location! The store is also pretty big for a Korean skincare/cosmetics brand in Singapore. They are also currently having a booth set up right next to the fountain where you can take photos, learn a bit about the different product lines, and also get a free Inni rang handkerchief!! I think the handkerchief is limited, so be quick if you want one. I managed to get one and I love the prints a lot! 

*PLEASE note that for whatever promotions I mention in this post, please check out the details from Innisfree or their facebook to know how you can get them too! 

Some pics of the store & booth. Courtesy of my sis. Didn't take much photos because I was a bit overwhelmed.

I didn't even pay attention to this... ): 

Managed to take when it was clear!

My loots! Huge bag on the left are the freebies!

Starting with the freebies I got....

I managed to get a Inni Rang Launching Bag with my purchases. If I'm not wrong, you can get this if you spend above $100.

Items given in Inni Rang Launching Bag

Cute Inni Rang stickers

Green Tea Pure Deluxe Kit consisting of sample sized Green Tea Seed Serum, Green Tea Pure Cream, Green Tea Pure Sleeping Pack, Green Tea Pure lotion, and Green Tea Pure Skin

I love the Green Tea line and I've already reviewed the serum & the pure cream. These are good for me to try out the rest of the line.

Innisfree Cold Cup

Lee Min Ho Jeju Travel Essay

It's a Lee Minho pictorial. I think LMH fans will love this. Really good quality! So is the cold cup.

And that's all that's in the Launching Bag! :) Lol, I think I secretly wish for more samples because I'm not a super big LMH fan (I am watching The Heirs now though). Any Lee Minho fans here? :)

I also got this huge LMH poster.

Free sheet masks

 I also managed to get free sheet masks by showing the Inni rang handkerchief I managed to get. Again, please check instores for details on any promotions~

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And now onto my loots!

o. m. g.

Sorry, I may have gone a bit crazy. I wasn't really expecting to spend much, but the prices were actually really pretty good! I've always gotten my Innisfree products direct from Korea and I was afraid the prices would be marked up a lot in Singapore, but I actually thought the prices were okay!

Not all items are mine though. Don't judge me!

Hand/nail products

I bought nail polishes, hand cream, and cuticle cream. My hands have been really dry lately because I sit RIGHT under the AC all day. Can't wait to try out the hand butter! It really smells good.

Eco Nail Color Basic (10ml): $4
Eco Nail Color Pro (6ml): $4
Canola Honey Hand Butter: $11
Olive Moisture Nail & Cuticle Cream: $5

Face makeup

Only the Mineral Pact is mine. I asked the lady what's the difference between the Mineral Pact & Mineral Powder, and I decided to get the Mineral Pact. She also told me that the Mineral Pact is more value-for-money, if you were to compare the prices and the quantity you get. I also got it because I think the pact will be less troublesome to use. The Mineral Powder is $10 (IIRC). She also shared with me that its useful to use on your hair/scalp when your hair gets oily!! That's awesome. She also recommended the primer. It's really smooth but I passed on that because.... I guess I do have some self-control. lol.

1 Minute Lip Scrub (9g): $7
No Sebum Mineral Pact (8.5g): $17
Tapping Lip Concealer (9g): $7

Skincare products!

I got a new tube of Bija Anti-Trouble Facial foam. I've reviewed it here, if you're interested. I also got a Xmas Green Tea Seed Cream! It's twice the size of the usual Green Tea Seed Cream. I had trouble picking between the red or the white version, but I went ahead with the white. I THINK the usual 50ml pack was $25? $26? I really can't remember. I'm currently using one now (bought in April in Korea) and I like it too, so I went ahead to get this.

Bija Anti-Trouble Facial Foam (150ml): $13
Xmas Seed Cream (100ml): $46

Eye Makeup

I got the Gel Liner & Eyebrow Pencil. I tried the gel liner instore and its sooo smooth. My sis actually got one of it some time ago, but I've never tried it.

Eco Eyebrow Pencil (#4): $6
Gel Liner (#7): $11
Skinny Waterproof Mascara: $17

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That's all.

I'm actually a little hestitant to share this post because of some irrational thought that all of you will go buy and all the stocks will be sold out. But aiya, I can't possibly be posting about things I don't like instead. So there you go.

If you do check out the store in Singapore, do come back & share with me what you bought! If you've already visited the store, let me know too :)



*Disclaimer: All items are purchased & paid by me and my sad wallet. I'm not paid for this post, nor sponsored in any way (hahaha I wish). I also don't work for Innisfree (I wish!! lol) nor affliated with them in any way. And again, please check in store for more details regarding any promotions I've mentioned.

Review: Etude House Wonderpore Freshner

Today, I'll be reviewing one of my favourite products -- Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner. I've been using this for more than a year and this is my second 500ml bottle.

This retails for 15,000 Won for 500ml. It also comes in a smaller 250ml version that retails at 9,000won. The 500ml bottle also comes with a pump, while the 250ml version does not.

500ml is quite a big bottle! (FYI, this bottle is empty. haha)

I love this toner as it is all I'm looking for in a toner. It claims to be a 7-in-1 total pore solution. It also says that it maintains the pH of your skin, which is one of the main purpose of a toner and I don't really see a lot of toners that claim to do this (even though they may?). When I was looking for a new toner to try, I wanted one that can cleanse pores because clogged pores cause pores to enlarge & become very visible, and they also cause acne. I was starting to notice that the pores around my nose & cheeks were getting more visible. This product really did help me with that. I've been using this for a long time and I can say that it does minimize the appearance of pores! I've also gotten less acne after using this product. This never broke me out and it is also not drying. I apply this morning & night, and I also always use toner before applying any makeup to ensure I apply makeup on a clean, moisturised skin.

They also suggest that you can transfer some of the product into a mist bottle. I haven't tried to do that because I'm currently using Innisfree Green Tea mineral mist.

 

 

Like I've mentioned, the 500ml version comes with a pump. Its very convenient to just open the cap and pump it onto the cotton pad directly. You don't have to worry about pouring out too much. That said, the pump takes some time to get used to. You must ensure that you cover the nozzle part with the cotton pad so that the product will soak the cotton pad instead of going anywhere else & wasting any of it. My own tip is also that you should try to just press it a bit at a time, rather than pressing it all the way down. Sounds troublesome, but I've already gotten used to it and I don't really have to be particularly careful when I use this now. I use about 1/2 pumps to soak the cotton pad each time I use it.

& finally, the ingredients list:

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This product is really worth the price. It is only 15,000 won for 500ml of product can last you a long time. I don't know how long my first bottle lasted me, but I've been using my second bottle for 3 months and its still more than half full. I use 1/2 pumps every morning & night and whenever I need to apply makeup. It does have a faint scent but I've gotten too used to the smell that I can't point out what it smells like.

Both times I got it, I bought it personally (or through a friend) from Korea, packed in a luggage. Both times, it leaked a little. So if you're thinking of buying this online or from overseas, be prepared for some leakage.. Pack it separately in a bag or remind your seller to pack it securely so as to minimise leakage. The 500ml is quite a big bulky bottle, so take note of that if shipping costs is a factor to you. I prefer to purchase from Korea directly if I can because the price is so much better. Singapore's Etude House retails this at almost twice the price in Korea.

Overall, I definitely recommend this toner. I've already on my second 500ml bottle and both my sisters also started to use this. I think that's already a really good testimony for this product!

Let me know in the comments section if you have any good toners to recommend too! :)

Review/Haul: Luxola (Mario Badescu & Sigma)

Today I've got a mini mini haul from Luxola to share.

My sister was the one who introduced Luxola to me. She told me they have Deborah Lippmanns and they were having some birthday sale. I'll do a post on the Deborah Lippman nail polishes another day! But today, I'll be sharing about my experience shopping on Luxola and what I got from there.

From their "About Us" page, Luxola claims to be the "first online luxury cosmetic and skin-care site in South East Asia as well as the first to be 100% backed by every brand we work with, ensuring our customers are receiving authentic products each and every time they order." They are based in Singapore and they provide free shipping for orders above $10, and the fastest you can receive your buys is 1 business day. I think that's quite impressive!

The delivery team messaged me to say they will arrive in 30-45 minutes. I actually arranged for the delivery to be made to my house for my mom to collect. I was actually waiting for their message that day before calling my mom to inform her to watch out for them. Somehow, not everyone can correctly use our doorbell somehow and it doesn't always ring when people think they've pressed it. Some courier companies don't bother to call us and they leave if we don't answer the door immediately, even though we leave our door/window WIDE open to at least indicate that someone is at home. Back to my recount: Anyway, I happened to be busy that day and did not see the message and did not get to call my mom. When I finally saw their message, I also had 2 missed calls from the delivery person. Thankfully, my mom called and said she received it. So, thumbs up to the persistent delivery team.

Here's the bag my order came in. A little too big for the things I bought, but still nice to receive a nice bag. Only concern is that since it is not sealed, you should check your order when you receive it just in case something got lost along the way.

My sis and I got the "Drying Lotion & Buffering Lotion" set to share. Both are full sized. The price for the Buffering Lotion is $32, and Drying Lotion is $33. We bought them as a set and it was only $60. With the 25% discount, it was only $45. I think I saw them at Sephora for about $40+ each? Luxola is definitely more competitively priced.

My sister also got the E30 Pencil brush from Sigma Beauty. It retails on Luxola for $19.50. 

I got this drying lotion to try. I needed a new product to replace my benzoxyl peroxide, partly because I can no longer find the small sized version of it in Singapore. I thought I'll get this to try because I've read so much good reviews of this. I would not have purchased this at full price because my BP is cheaper than this and works well for me. I was excited when I got this until I saw this: 

 6M. 

This product is only good for 6 months after opening. I don't even think I can finish it in 6 months! I haven't seen anyone mention at all! Either no one takes note of these symbols, or this still works well after 6 months. I usually abide by them EXCEPT for nail polishes. Do you take note of these symbols?? Let me know! So if you're considering getting this, consider if its worth the price to cure 6 months of... erm, the amount of acne you have. I'll be trying out this product soon & hopefully it works like a miracle!!

Ingredients list:  Ingredients: Isopropyl Alcohol,Deionized Water (Aqua), Calamine, Camphor, Colloidal Sulfur, Salicylic Acid,Glycerine, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Talc

 

This drying lotion is for my sis. This is also only good for 6 months after opening. 

Ingredients list: Deionized Water,Isopropyl Alcohol,Sodium Sulfate, Zinc Oxide,Hydrolyzed Serum Protein, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein,Pyridoxine, Niacinamide, Panthenol,Propylene Glycol, Allantoin, Biotin

 

& lastly, the E30 brush for my sis!

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Overall, I'm satisfied with my purchases & experience with Luxola. Delivery was timely & fast, and they also bubble-wrapped the fragile items (the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion comes in a glass bottle). Definitely recommending everyone to check out that site. They have a good selection brands but I'm not familiar with a lot of them. Several brands are not that easily/commonly found in Singapore and the prices are quite competitive too. They also accept cash on delivery, so you can opt to pay only after receiving & checking the items.. For online shops, we aren't able to test the products before purchase, so I think it is very important to read up on reviews of the products before purchase. Luxola rewards customers to post reviews on the product pages and I think that's good because it encouraged people to post reviews & now there are a lot that you browse through before purchasing. I browse through the popular products and there are already a few that I may wanna try out in future. They occasionally have flash sales or just random sales... but usually a lot of the popular items get sold out really fast.. so be quick!

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Disclaimer: I'm not paid to do this review. All views are my own. The links however, are affiliate links. You can support me if you use them to make a purchase :)

Review: Innisfree Eco Nail Colour 1: 100, 101, 124, 121

100, 101, 121, 124

From left to right:
100 블루베리 제리 (Blueberry Jelly),
101 소녀의 땡땡이 스커트 (Girl's Polka Dot Skirt),
124 해피 바이러스 (Happy Virus),
121 빙글빙글 희전목마 (Round & Round the Merry-go-round).
I directly translated the Korean names so the english names are not the official names, but just what I translated with my super basic Korean. I'm most unsure about 121 so it's probably all wrong.

These are photos of the Innisfree nail polishes I bought from Korea earlier this year. SO PRETTY AREN'T THEY!! So chockful of glitter. These were really inexpensive. Innisfree Eco Nail colours are all 2,500 won each, for 10ml.

1) 100 블루베리 제리 (Blueberry Jelly)

The flakies are bronze/green, which are really pretty with the blue base. The flakies aren't very obvious. I do 3 thin coats for full opacity, but you can get away with 2. Great formula, no pooling, no uneven flakies or bald patches.


2) 101 소녀의 땡땡이 스커트 (Girl's Polka Dot Skirt) (aka dupe of Deborah Lippmann's Mermaid Dreams)

lol. I don't know if I slaughtered the name with my translation but isn't that what it is? Anyone with better korean skills please correct me if I'm wrong! I just think the name is a little weird because I don't see any association with a girl's polka dot skirt. Anyway, any nail polish lover will probably immediately think of Deborah Lippmann's Mermaid Dreams when you see this. I don't own that, but I've seen photos of them online and they are practically dupes! And this is only one-tenth of the price of a Deborah Lippmann. I almost didn't want to get this because my sis was already getting a bottle. But she asked me why wasn't I getting it, and she convinced me to get another bottle! Well, it is pretty inexpensive so that's okay. I don't wear glitters that often but I really like this after wearing it on my nails. This polish is from the Poem Nail collection.

Formula wise: Great. I'm beginning to love the formula of these Innisfree nail polishes. These are my firsts. The glitters aren't big, so you won't have problem getting them evenly on your nails. Just like before, 3 thin coats for full opacity, but 2 coats is good enough!


3) 124 해피 바이러스 (Happy Virus)



I was probably most excited to get this when I first got to the nail polish counter. Blue is still my favourite nail colour. These have purple square glitters, silver hexagon glitters, smaller white hexagons, and tiny white dots. The glitters are harder to get on the nail, probably because they are bigger. You'll need to dab them on. I had trouble getting them evenly on all nails. Some nails I dabbed more, some less... but overall I still love this polish! Application-wise, it isn't my favourite out of these 4, but this is my favourite polish out of these 4 and I'm probably more likely to wear this more often.


4) 121 빙글빙글 희전목마 (Round & Round the Merry-go-round)

I love this! I mentioned before that I don't like glitter polishes that much, unless it is in a opaque base. I like how the layers of polish semi-cover the glitters in the previous layer. There are square glitters, hexagon glitters, and tiny glitters in a milky base. I like the combination of colours in this polish. The big glitters are harder to apply and you need to use the dabbing method to get more glitter and get them even. (but it isn't as bad as 124) The base isn't very opaque, so this needs 3 coats. I dab a little more at the nail line to cover it. You could probably first cover your nail line with a layer of white polish first. 

And... another photo, just because: 

Swatches on nail wheel: 

These are without topcoat.

As you can tell, the flakies on 100 isn't that obvious, but I also can't seem to capture it properly on camera. It is more obvious in real life than in these photos though.

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Overall, for the price, I think they are really good polishes to own. Probably my favourite korean brand for nail polishes right now. They also have a selection of gel nail polishes. My mom actually has one but I've yet to borrow to try. I forgot to take a photo of the brush, but they are comparable to the size of OPI.

Innisfree Eco Nail colours are 4 free: DBP-free, DFHP-free, Toluene-free, Formaldehyde-free. I'm not sure if all colours are 4-free because it isn't stated on all the pages... You can read more about toxic ingredients in nail polishes here by googling DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde in nail polishes.

For korean nail polishes, I find it a bit harder to find out whether they are 3-free. At least it is stated on Innisfree's page. That makes me more self-assured. Sometimes I wanna ask the sales assistants in store, but I'm not sure if they will be aware... I'll probably ask the next time I remember....

I've got more Innisfree nail polishes to review soon. Meanwhile, if you've got any favourite korean nail polish brand, leave a comment & share! :)