REVIEW : Holika-Holika's Oil Queen Cotton Primer

I remember some time ago, I stumbled across some girl's blog about this product I'm going to review in a second. I was so intrigued by the product and decided to try it in the store. But then I find it was not too good, and I went back to her blog and said "I swatched it but it didn't look as great, but if you find it working great for you, then that's good" bla-bla and I promote my blog bla-bla. But then she replied me and said like you shouldn't talk stuff if you're not even purchasing and trying on your face bla-bla.

Well, she has a point. But then I fell in love with my Banila Co. Prime Primer Classic Matte primer so hard that I don't even have any need to try other primer. Now that my Banila Co. primer is empty, I remembered about this product. I then bet on myself to try this - what if it IS better than my Banila Co?? I'll save money then!

Ehem. Sorry for the long prolog. Here's the review!

      BRAND      

holika-holika 

      PRODUCT NAME      
Oil Queen Cotton Primer

      type of product      

liquid face primer

      PRICE      

KRW 9.900

      sites      
holika-holika official site

I see a lot of people fell into this product because of its cute packaging, and if you've read my blog long enough you'll know that this kinda cute packaging is definitely not in my preference. I do appreciate the clean looking bottle! 

I didn't swatch this at the store, I just believed reviews I read like months ago - like hell I'll remember any bits of it (Sorry, don't even remember whose review that was). So I went back and try this without any freakin' idea on what this product will be (this is so not like me. I read review and then purchase - raise your hand if you're agree with me! Review before purchase!) 

This primer contain SPF of 15, which is always good! And here's the product description on the packaging : 

"Sebum (oil) control primer that controls overflow 

of sebum and changes the skin from an oily skin to a soft skin"

If there's someone in my reader that's confused what a primer is - it's basically a makeup product that you use before your base product (bb, cc creams, foundation, tinted moisturizer - anything.) and after your skin care routine, simply to help your makeup last longer / looks better on your face. And because I have a very oily T-zone, my favorite primer would be for oil control for more lasting power. 

And reading the description (and even the name suggests it too), this primer targets people with oilier skin and to make the face more "cotton"-y (that's what the Korean description said) 

The primer came with a pump - always, always a good thing. The bottle is quite small, and it contains 30ml of product. Also it came with the cap for the pump - preventing accidental pumps on the go! 

Now, into the product itself. I'm really shocked because it was literally white colored - and I have trouble with over-applying this primer almost everytime. Probably because I used to use a transparent primer - so I doesn't really have to deal with over applying? Maybe that's why. The first time I tried this product it successfully made my face pale-white. 

I think this product does contain whitening effect - but it does get blurred out after foundation. So I won't recommend to wear this primer alone because it might left a pretty visible white casts all over your face. I do think the 'white cast' does help to cover and even out my skin tone. And it has a fresh soap scent to it. I like the scent! 

Does it helps my oily skin to look less oily - yes, for the first 2 hours only. Probably 3 hours top if I do layer a matte foundation over it. Especially with my nose area - feels like someone slapped me with a tempura. 

As for someone that uses makeup daily - and almost over 10 hours minimum, this primer didn't help me at all. Oh, the girl on the blog that I talked about was actually talking about the mist too (same line as the primer) but it was sold out when I'm the store. 

If there's someone that used the mist and the primer before - does the mist really helps? Maybe I should go on the look out for the mist... 

Overall, I think this primer does make my face look more matte after application - but it definitely not helping my oily face problem. Poor oil control, too weak to be a primer, the SPF is too weak to be a sunscreen, what should I do with you. Sorry, i can't recommend this to people! Now I'm gonna use this until my Banila Co. Prime Primer arrives! (hopefully, tomorrow!)

Thankyou so much for reading! Have a great week everyone! 

Where to find me :

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REVIEW : Banila Co's Prime Primer "Classic Matte"

Hey! It's been quite sometime since my last review, but here is something that I really wanted to review, finally! It's a product from one of my favorite brand, Banila Co. It's the Prime Primer "Classic Matte"!

The primer retails for KRW 18.000 and they have 4 variation for the primer. It contain 30ml of product.

This product is not entirely new for me, I've emptied the whole bottle of the "Classic" one back before I started this whole cosmetic review kinda stuff! See here (I got the "classic" in the 7th Anniversary Limited Edition). I have a pretty (super) oily + combination skin, but I ended up getting the "classic" one back there because of some event promotion they had.

Actually the "classic" one is a pretty great product, I must say, but still I always thought that the "classic matte" will work better for me. The Prime Primer is one of Korean best selling primer, and definitely Banila Co.'s ace product. I stumbled upon Banila Co's Gmarket page where they have a 20% off the primer, and since I don't want to use my Benefit's Porefessional everyday, I finally got it.

There's nothing fancy about all the packaging (that's why I love it. So simple) and everything is written in Korean. Anyway, mostly the description on the box said that this product will help to reduce oiliness, especially around the T-zone and also helps the makeup to stays on all day. Also, this primer is translucent so it would not be seen through all the makeup.

I used around 1 pump for cover my whole face - yes I use it in my whole face, though I'm keeping the focus on my T-zone area. The product comes out like a gel, transparent with a slight hint of a mint color. But of course once it blends nothing will see through. Anyway, the pump is really make all the application easier and more hygienic!

I thought that once applied, this primer will give that velvet-smooth feeling (like how Porefessional did) but it didn't! There's a slight velvety feeling, just a slight. Overall, the "classic matte" application is very similar with the "classic". I expect that the "matte" will instantly mattify my face, but then, once I applied this primer allover my face, and let it set through 10+ minutes, my face does turn into more 'matte', like the oiliness that my moisturizer gives almost gone.

I don't say that you have to wait 10 minutes+ everyday, because it didn't change any of the effects. Also I didn't use much product to cover my whole face. The "classic" that I had used up contain 45ml of product and it lasts me for 2 years (!!!) and I finished it because I gave it to my friend for her job doing makeups for 9-10 people for a film project we did last summer. I still have some that I will scoop out of the bottle :p

really hard to see the difference..

The difference I felt with this product is that my makeup stays on longer! Especially in my T-zone, my makeup stays on longer and my makeup didn't melt off! At first I didn't see any noticeable difference, then I tried to use this primer only on half of my face, and the amount of oils in my face decreased by almost 70% on the side where I have this primer on.

Overall, I love this product! Especially in this autumn weather, because this product keeping my face matte - without drying at all. I can still feel the moist that my cream gives before. And I think this primer makes my blemishes less visible day by day because it serves as a layer between my skin and my foundation / bb cream. I've been pairing this primer with almost all bb creams and foundation I have, and it turned out amazing! <3

They gave me a bunch of samples! (Seems that they gave out the "classic" samples to all, even when they bought the other primer...), anyway, thankyou! 잘 쓸게용!

Just a tip here, even if you have a slight oily skin - i recommend you to pick on the "classic matte" instead of the "classic" because the "classic" still make your face look moist. And this product is transparent, it works well with all skin tone!

Thankyou for reading! Excuse me I have to download and watch "The Heirs" episode 10 *runs away*

Where to find me :

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REVIEW : Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base 01 Mint Choux + FOTD

Hello! I'm back with a review for something that had come out for sometime ago, even I had talked for a bit in my last post but I never had the chance to actually grant it a whole post for its own. I have reasons! One : this product failed to impress me on first - fourth trials and errors and Two : the packaging it self makes me too lazy to reach for it. see my first post here

Ok so let's first talk about the packaging. I'm not really a fan of cutesy-pinky-girly packaging. But I really appreciate how Etude House sticks to their concept and their collections after collections have this harmony that I don't see a lot in Korean cosmetics brand. I mean look at their store! They just never failed their own concept.

Their concept is not in my taste of liking but it doesn't mean I have the right to mock them anyway. And I didn't bought the product for the packaging this time. No. Which I usually am. I was looking for a green / mint base or primer because my redness is outta control!

To the box description (which to me is almost like a joke, but sticking to the concept - sweet RECIPE remember??!)

"Light and fluffy choux cream-like makeup base creates baby choux with its moist inside and soft smoothness on the outside." 

<Recipe for Baby Choux Skin>

You need... Clean skin, Baby Choux Base, 1 spoon of moisture, 2 spoons of soft smoothness

Uhm. that's odd. but they do come with spoons! that make sense! :D

The packaging is made of matte glass and and the cap is just cheap plastic (which is not flat - annoyed me every time I put the spoon on top of the cap). Also contain SPF 25 PA++ which is always a good thing and retail for KRW 11.000. Comes with 3 color selections : 

#1 Mint Choux : For redness problem 

#2 Berry Choux : For that pale face that needs more color (cool tone)

#3 Peach Choux : For face that have yellowish tone (warm tone)

First the consistency of the product is truly similar to a sugar icing. Yep. And how it feels when it touches my face, totally felt like when I was playing with my mom's cake icing!! The product's color might scares some people off "OMG i wont put something green on ma face!" Worry not! Green (or mint) have a color correcting property that will fight against redness, because on the color wheel green and red neutralize each other.

As they neutralize each other, the redness will be less visible and the green also wont be visible, by human eyes at least.

It also came with a little spoon, but I get rid of them because in the end keeping the spoon also became a hassle.

RIGHT product swatch (which I probably had too much) LEFT after the blending - my skin looks brighter and whiter? 

Talking again about the product, it had an airy feeling, very light weight and soft and smooth. Only one problem I encounter with the product. Once you apply it too many, your face will look ghostly pale (I guess inhuman white is better than hulk green on your face). Means your blending skill is challenged here.

You're supposed to put this product below any makeup you use, so after moisturizer then the Baby Choux Base and then you could put another primer if you like, which I did. It did not feel heavy at all even after I put on more primer, or even move around so that's a good plus.

One big thing for somebody that have oily - combination skin like me, it doesn't help with oil control. Though your face will look matte-r after the Baby Choux Base application, it didn't help throughout the day.

Right now my face is less red than it ever before, so when I try to put them on......

before Baby Choux Base 

after Baby Choux Base - and a great example of bad blending there.

LEFT with Baby Choux Base RIGHT with NO Baby Choux Base

What I'm saying is when you just put the Baby Choux Base you can still see the difference between the applied and not applied part of my face, but after I put on my foundations and all that stuff the difference is not that visible anymore. Moreover, it's not helping me with oil control sooooo putting it on is only lengthen up my makeup time and means : big hassle.

And because of the bulkiness of the glass, you don't actually get that much product so it's totally non-travel type of packaging. It's heavy and it could get messy in your makeup bag for sure. And! I'm going around some blogs that are reviewing this product, and quite surprised that a lot of the bloggers love the scent?? Heck, I hate the scent! I can't pick what scent is it, but definitely not sweet or stuff like that. (Almost smells like sweat!) Maybe the Berry Choux and Peach Choux have better scents?

Overall! I don't love it, but I don't hate it as much either. And the packaging definitely the reason on why I didn't reach for them more often. I think it's better for someone with dry-combination skin. And for the color correcting quality, I don't think making your face whiter is the solution :/

ANNNND Just checked on the Etude House Website :
Baby Choux Base is now on Tube! Same Price 10% more product (wtf..)

Check them out HERE - Well If i have to choose, I'll choose this packaging over that bulky glass. but whatever! If you want to get them now, I suggest get the tube!!

ANDD again still I'm going to sneak in some Face of the Day pictures here : ha!

Have a great day! <3

REVIEW : The Face Shop AQUA CC Starter

Now let's ride on the CC cream's wave and talk about CC cream related product! It's The Face Shop Aqua CC (Color Control) Starter! Don't be fooled with that swatch over the packaging gais, it doesn't have any color! Read my review until the end!

Based on the packaging, Face It Aqua CC Starter is a make-up base exclusively designed to maximise the feeling of CC cream application while refreshen & hydrating the skin

First Impression on the product : Wuuuut a moisturizer plus a primer?? I have to pick them up! But I was quite disappointed when I swatch it, it was so liquidy (talking about aqua, should have take the hint) and doesn't feel like a primer at all, plus no color or anything like the packaging had.

But I actually need a day moisturizer and decided to use them anyway. It contain SPF 30 PA++ which is never a bad thing getting extra SPF for the summer days! Another thing, it felt really cooling on your skin! Glides ok, not sticky at all! Perfect for the hot summer, hot hot summer

Overall, I do enjoy this product! Cooling and moisturizing, even if it said to maximise the cc cream application, I don't feel that this product lengthen any of other product I layer on top. Even so, I heard your face will absorb makeup better if it's cooler, so a good thing I guess? Anyhoo I like them as my day moisturizer! (and the SPF don't have any white cast on flash, no pictures though but just want to let you know!)




<3