Review: Innisfree Beads Nail Kit

I got the Innisfree Beads Nail Kit (#1) on my Gmarket haul from Korea. I got to try it recently and I'm quite impressed by it!!

Innisfree Beads Nail Kit #1

The retail price is 10,000 won, but I got it on sale at 8,000 won. The other regular eco nail polishes were on sale for half price at 1,250 won and this seemed expensive and I almost didn't order it until my sis asked why I wasn't getting it. Then I realised 8,000 won for this kit was actually a good price! Thank goodness I got it, it was really worth the price! :)

Instructions

They also have instructions on how to apply the nail beads. Although I took Korean lessons in uni, I'm not at the level to be able to understand the instructions.... Ha. The illustrations are quite self-explantory except for the last step. It says something like after 10-15 minutes... something something top coat. haha. I guess that means after 10-15 minutes, apply top coat? But the after applying the top coat, the colour of the beads faded a little. But that's okay, because it only makes it look more pastel.

*Purple is slightly more pink than pictured

What you get in the kit! 10g of nail polish, and 6g of nail beads. How pretty are the beads!!!! The kit comes with a little plastic funnel. It's thinner than I imagined, but it serves its purpose anyway!!

Oh yes, I didn't take a photo, but the opening of the beads bottle is the same as the nail polish. Don't worry about the beads all spilling out when you are applying. The beads only come out in small quantities when I tap the bottle, so there wasn't really much to clean up. What I did was to pick up the extra beads with my fingertip and scraped my finger against the edge of the funnel. It was a lot of fun re-bottling the excess beads.

Awesome close up of the beads

Blue, purple and pink! I like the combination. They also had another kit with blue base and blue beads. Usually, I would pick blue over purple, but I like the colours of the purple beads more.

The beads are slightly bigger than other brands that I've seen, like Ciate & Catrice. They are not as tiny as the caviar nails.

Bottle label. Made in Korea. PVC beads.

Application: 

The purple base nail polish had a great formula -- pigmented and smooth. It wasn't particularly glossy on its own. The beads were easy to apply; it didn't take a long time. I did other things before applying the top coat and the beads were falling off. The top coat definitely helps to hold the beads together. I would recommend using a top coat that's less thick and more watery, just so that the texture of the beads will not be covered. I also dabbed the sides of the beads with some topcoat so that they would be less likely to drop off. 

Removal: 

After several days of wear, I picked at the sides of the beads and they came off pretty easily because the top coat still held the beads together. 

Here are some additional photos I took with my phone: 

The purple is closer to this shade. It is more pink than it is blue. 

 Swatch: 

And... Swatches on my hand. I wasn't planning to post these because my nails were in a bad shape after using a particular nail polish from another korean brand which I'll be ranting about soon.... or never. I planned to apply the beads on 2 nails, but I was unsure whether the beads would stay on well... and I was lazy to have to "tend" to the beads. But my worries were unfounded. 

Side note: I think these beads are best only applied on 2 nails. I think its a little too much to have them on all nails. Like I mentioned, the beads are slightly bigger than the usual caviar nails. I would wear the beads on my middle & ring finger. 

AND. A super blurry photo (which I wasn't planning to post too) to show the wear. I actually wore this mani over the holidays and I did A LOT of spring cleaning with these nails. I was lifting my heavy mattress, vacuuming, moving things around and I also washed my hair (which I thought for sure the beads will drop out), but NOPE. By the end of 5 days, 99% of the beads were still on. I only had 3 or 4 missing beads. AND. Even the nails with no beads had no chip/wear. Cheap and good. sigh. 

To end off, here's the link to the product page. There are more photos and (I just realised) a video on application. Here's also someone's pictures & review on the blue version. I also tried to read the reviews on the product page and it seems like they are negative reviews! But alas, my limited korean vocabulary.... 

(*if you are viewing on mobile, you may have to change to the desktop version to see the links)

I've got some posts in my drafts. Mainly some Innisfree nail polishes! 

Also... I probably won't be able to review the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Black Head Out Balm.... because I have no blackheads??? I thought I would... like... accumulate some blackheads (LOL) and then try the product but I don't have much blackheads these days!! WHY? One of the products I'm using now must be working wonders... 

Tips To Better Skin

I don't know if I am qualified to give advice but I here are some tips that helped me, and hopefully it'll help someone else too! My skin was problematic a few years ago but it has improved a lot and at least now I know how to get it back in control. I got these tips over the years, reading and listening to advice from people who know skincare.

Tip #1: Find the right products
What an obvious tip right? But there are some less obvious reasons why you to find products that will work for you. If your current routine no longer works and the products do nothing for you, it is time to find new products. Using products that work for you will make you motivated to stick strictly to your skin care routine! Are there days where you skip the moisturiser or toner because you were lazy? Or have you had the thought that missing a day or two will not make a difference anyway? These things will make you slack on your skin care routine. After I switched to my current products (mainly Innisfree), I saw the improvement of my skin and I actually like to apply the products every morning & night. I've never missed a day. I believed that the products worked for me and I religiously apply them every day/night. When you use products that work, you'll like the products and you're more motivated to do your skin care routine daily.

Tip #2: Follow the instructions on the packaging
They are there for a reason. e.g. If the sheet mask should be removed in 15-20 minutes, you should stick to that. Maybe just a few more minutes, but definitely not for TOO LONG. Leaving it for too long will have counter effects and may irritate your skin. That's just one example. Try to follow the directions/instructions on the packaging and apply them as they should be. I guess it is okay to use less than directed, but probably not more. Similarly, do not use a product more often than you should. Clay masks work wonders, but if you use it daily, you'll be stripping your skin of its natural oils and again: counter-effective.

Tip #3: Your hands are dirty
Keeping your face clean. Always try to think that your hands are dirty and don't touch your face more than you need to. Especially when you have a pimple. It's just like how you won't sit on a dirty chair. If you don't want to dirty your clothes, why will you want to dirty your face? Of course, not touching your face doesn't gurantee your good skin, but its a start.

Tip #4: Be gentle with your skin
Pat your skin with a towel or one of those facial pads. Do not wipe it with force. If you apply anything with a cotton pad (makeup remover.. toner..), apply gently too! Also, do not over-exfoliate your skin. Only use any exfoliating products 2/3 times a week. Exfoliating products include facial scrubs, silicone cleansing pads, and facial cleansing brushes (like clarisonic). They are great to get rid of dead skin cells and cleanse your skin, but using too much will also be counter-effective. Be gentle!

Tip #5: Simplify your skincare routine
Like I've mentioned in tip #1, it is important to have a skin care routine you stick to. But do not spam your face with all kinds of products! If you've not found products that work for you, start from the most basic routine -- facial wash, toner, moisturiser. Once you've found the products that work for you, you can slowly add products like eye cream, serum, etc.

Tip #6: Read & Research
A lot of people actually have a lot of misconceptions on how some products work, or they simply do not know. For example, some people think that products that work for someone with dry skin, will not work for someone with the "opposite" oily skin type. That's not true at all. I've seen people review & recommend products that do not work for them, TO people with the "opposite" skin type. It doesn't always work like that. Try to read reviews by people with similar skin type as yours, instead of reviews by people with the "opposite" skin type. Another misconception: people with oily skin may think that they do not need to moisturize, when the fact is that everyone should! That brings me to my next tip...

Tip #7: Moisturise
Regardless of what climate you live in, and what skin type you have, you should always use a moisturiser. I can't tell you how many times I've read someone state that their secret to flawless, young-looking skin is moisturising. AND sheet masks. Actually this should be Tip #1 because I think this is very important!! (not that the tips are in order of importance though...)

Tip #8: Do not reapply base makeup (foundation/bb cream)
Well, not really reapply, but do not apply on MORE throughout the day on top of what you already have on. Imagine patting on foundation on top the the dirt/grime/oil that was on top of your first layer of base makeup. ew right? It sounds like an exaggeration, but you really should try to avoid applying on more base makeup as the day goes on. If your base makeup slides off easily, use a primer, powder or change your foundation/base makeup! That's my only makeup-related tip here. I think I focus more on skincare & getting good skin than having good makeup to cover flaws?

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Of course, there are lucky people who do not need to take special care to have good skin, but there are those of us who require more effort to maintain healthy, clear skin. Small changes can make a difference.

Well, these are just a few tips you can take note of and keep in mind. You don't have to believe or follow all of them, but it is good to change some bad habits you may have. It's a start! Along with a healthy diet and skin care routine, you should be on your way to better skin!

Essence Sending You Kisses, Exits on Your Right Nail Polish Swatches

Essence: Sending You Kisses, Exits on Your Right.

I got these 2 polishes from Watsons a few months ago. I love all the polishes from this collection! I would've totally gotten the whole collection! I decided to get a pink because I really don't usually wear pink and I already own similar colours of the rest.

Each bottle only cost $3.50. The formula of these were great too! Highly pigmented and I could definitely get away with just one coat. Below are the swatches of them on my nail wheel. These are without topcoat! The gloss is not bad, isn't it?

Review: Innisfree Jejubija Anti-Trouble Facial Foam

Today, I'll be reviewing Innisfree's Jejubija Anti-Trouble Facial Foam! 

I've been using this on 23 June... So that's been slighly more than a month? I like it so far! 

This facial foam is part of Innisfree's anti-trouble line. "Anti-trouble" is pretty much a euphemism for "acne". I guess having a "anti-trouble" facial foam in your shopping bag is less embarrassing than anything that says "acne". Don't want people to start scrutinizing your face right? 

The packaging of this describes it to be "Enriched with torreya seed extract from pure Jeju island", to help "control blemish for clear skin". It also claims to "remove pore impurities as it prevents and relieves skin trouble". It is also composed of "natural originated salicylic acid, panduratin, and rose crystal that helps to relieve skin trouble". Sounds promising, yes? 

This is also 5-Free: Paraben free, sulphate-free, artificial colouring free, mineral oil free, animal ingredients free.

This cost 8,000 Won for 150ml of product, which is pretty affordable. It only comes in one size, so it may not be that travel-friendly. When I first used it, the smell was so strong! I remember the first time I used it, I thought of the Yardley of London powder?? Which is supposed to smell like lavender.. but I think this facial foam smells a bit minty too. It may not be a pleasant smell to have on your face but I got used to it by the first week! I also felt a cooling feeling on my face, which will notice if you stop lathering and leave it on your face for a moment. I thought that it seemed a bit gimmicky, but perhaps it really has an effect? My skin always feel clean and refreshed after washing. This also foams up well.

After using this for 6 weeks, my skin is still clear. I will definitely repurchase this again! I have normal/combination skin. My previous facial foam makes my skin feel a little dry & tight after washing and I usually have to follow up with moisturiser or a facial mist, but this facial foam does not give me that dry feeling after use.

If you don't have troubled skin, I'll still recommend this to you. Do not assume that all trouble skincare range are only meant for those with oily/acne-prone skin. Acne can be caused by a lot of factors!! I think this also works to clean the pores and prevent clogged pores. 

I don't have trouble skin or major acne problems, but I used to always have at least 1 pimple (new/healing) at any point of time until. I wasn't really looking to switch my facial wash, but Innisfree products had always worked well for me and so I bought this to try! As my previous facial wash already helped my skin, switching to this Innisfree facial foam didn't improve my skin significantly, but it still worked as well! This Innisfree facial foam is 5-free and works just as well!

I bought this in Korea in April at the Duty-free shop at Lotte. The Duty-free shop at Lotte houses a wide range of popular Korean cosmetics brands, both low end and high end. You can find counters for brands like Etude House, Innisfree, Skin Food, Holika Holika, Laneige, Sulwhasoo, SKII etc... Pretty much like those at airports, but this is just in the city. They don't stock nail polishes though. They also seem to like selling things in multiple quantities. When I wanted to get this, the sales lady told me I had to get 2, then I was like, alright, then I won't get it. (Since I've never tried this, why would I buy 2 x 150ml of something that may not work or break me out?) But after I said that, she let me just get one. At Skinfood though, I wanted to get the popular Black Sugar Mask Wash off, but they only sold it in a pack of 4!! Why would I get 4 of the same thing... -ends random rant-

To end off, here's the ingredients list: