As promised, I'm finally writing about some of the Japanese cosmetics I got from Hong Kong.
Canmake is an extremely cute yet affordable make up line in Japan. However, the brand is ridiculously overpriced online.
If you're interested in Canmake cosmetics and visit Hong Kong yearly, you'll be glad to know that the prices there are nearly on par with the price in Japan!
The Canmake Cream Cheeks have been around for quite some time. They're housed in dainty plastic compacts with a jewel-ish design on the cap.
When it comes to blushes, I prefer creams over powders or liquids such as stains. The Cream Cheek are creamy like whipped mousse make-up but feel slippery near the end. It's no doubt this cream blush is silicone-based but they actually remind me of the Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy Sheerest Cream Blush.
With a total of 11 Cream Cheeks to choose from and owning 9 of them, I have only tried the shade, Coral Orange [07]. The coral orange sounds the most natural out of all the cream cheeks but in the pan, it looks nothing like a coral orange! Then, when applied it appears as a baby pink with too much shimmer and sparkle going on. Color me confused!
The Cream Cheeks all have shimmer to them which Canmake calls a 'Lamé' or 'Pearl' finish. I'd prefer a satin or matte finish but the shimmer isn't too intense but on occasion there will be flecks of glitter which are unbearable, at least for me.
All in all, 07, isn't sheer nor highly pigmented. Cream blushes can be easily overdone but this one can be layered for intensity. Unfortunately, the wear time is a total dud on my dry cheeks; only 3 hours max.
Bottom Line:
The lasting power is weak and the pigmentation is so-so. With no matte or shimmer-free shades to choose from, I'm on the fence with the Canmake Cream Cheeks.
If I were asked to pay $15(CAD/USD)+ on various online shops, I'd say nay. If I can grab more of the Canmake Cream Cheeks around 580 Yen (~$8CAD), I'd say, "Bill me".
With all of the skincare reviews I've been writing, I completely neglected to incorporate make up reviews. My Hong Kong haul was filled with Asian cosmetic goods but I've only used 1/4 of the make up. For the few things that I have tried so far, I'll do my best to pump out reviews!
Dolly Wink is founded by the Japanese brand Koji and Gyaru/model, Tsubasa Masuwaka. Maybe you've been living in a cave for the past two years but Dolly Wink is hot stuff in Japan and has even crept its way into the west. It's an expensive drugstore brand and slightly hard to get a hold of in stores but there is an mass of online shops that would love your service. LORAC is also expensive but you can easily find it at your local ULTA, Sephora, and online too.
The Dolly Wink false eyelashes are all the rage and more so the liquid eyeliner. The liner is pen-styled and has a very fine brush applicator. Dolly Wink in comparison to the LORAC Front of the Line PRO Liquid Eyeliner is more feminine looking but the design of the pens are identical.
For someone who doesn't wear a whole lot of eyeliner, I seem to be attracted to the pen style liners most. The base of the brush on Dolly Wink is slightly wider but I don't find that affects how thinly my lines are drawn.
Dolly Wink is opaque in one swift swipe but LORAC requires 2 or 3 at most.
They are waterproof but and combined with a rub test, it's smudge proof. It smears on a combination of un-primed, oily, and tapered eyelids but works normally on primed eyes. The lasting power is roughly 6 to 8 hours.
L-to-R: LORAC / Dolly Wink
To properly remove the liners I need to combine a cleansing water or duo phased eye make up remover with a cleansing oil. If I'm lucky enough a cleansing oil alone will do the trick but that's very rare.
Both eyeliners end up costly; Dolly Wink is $13.10 on Sasa (not including shipping nor taxes) and LORAC is $23US/$26CAD (not including taxes) at Sephora. Dolly Wink will inevitably end up most costly if purchased through E(vil)bay sellers and small online shops due to mysterious inflation.
Bottom Line:
I recommend both Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner and LORAC Front of the Line PRO Liquid Liner but more so the latter. LORAC is much easier to purchase and in the end, Dolly Wink is roughly in the $20 ball park because of shipping charges and inflation. The results are nearly the same.
Before Korres jazzed up their packaging and reworded product names, Wild Rose Face & Eye Serum previously went by as "Wild Rose Brightening Serum". The ingredients and quantity has stayed the same but only a few items went through a price change.
The Korres Wild Rose Face and Eye Serum I have came in a skincare gift set so it's not in the prettier, popping-red bottle but I'm certain the old and new bottles are of the same model.
It took awhile to commit to using this serum but it had to be done.
Korres Description
A serum that brightens and smooths the face and eye area.
For All Skin Types.
Key Features & Benefits
- An ultra-concentrated vitamin C serum that brightens and smooths the look of fine lines of face and eyes.
- Reduce the appearance of fine lines and skin discolorations.
- Baobab-tree polysaccharide, in combination with a wheat proteins agent, provides a line-smoothing effect, helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Key Ingredients
- Wild Rose Oil: a natural source of vitamin C, helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and skin discolorations.
What it is formulated WITHOUT
- Mineral Oil
- Silicone
- Propylene Glycol
- Enthanolamine
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan
Four Things I Like About the Wild Rose Face & Eye Serum
1) Available online and in stores at my local Sephora - this is easy to purchase and/or get a sample of!
2) The $US/$49CAD (before taxes) spent on a meager 30ml/1.01 oz of serum is considered generous.
3) The pump bottle is easy to use and hygienic. It's also efficient what with the expiration date on the bottom (month and year). None of that "12 month after opening" crud.
The pump disperses the same amount each time. One pump is enough for around the eyes/cheekbones, on smile lines and forehead.
4) The serum is non-greasy despite the semi-rich and runny formula.
Two Things I Dislike About the Wild Rose Face & Eye Serum
1) It's crucial that I apply the serum religiously or I lose the brightening and line smoothing effects just like that.
2) The serum is heavily scented of roses (duh) and I'm not a fan of it. It's a touch sweeter than the rest of Korres' Wild Rose line but I know those sensitive to scents (especially floral's) will despise this.
Bottom Line:
The Korres Wild Rose Face & Eye Serum will satisfy preventative needs but those with severe cases of dullness and fine lines may not find this useful. Try a sample (or two) before committing to this animal-friendly serum. The ingredients may satisfy the tiny green been within you.
Ingredients
Water (eau), Hamamelis Virginiana Flower Water, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, PEG-32, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Phospholipids, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Fragrance (parfum), Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, PEG-8, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Phytic Acid, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycine, Sorbitol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Alcohol, PEG?40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Pyrus Cydonia Fruit Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1 , Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Xanthan Gum, Ascorbic Acid Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract
Life hasn't been the same without the CURE Natural Aqua Gel. Cure wasn't a miracle but watching my skin "peel" was loads of fun. Now that I've found the perfect chemical exfoliator I must find the perfect physical exfoliator.
Today I'm reviewing the Korres Pomegranate Scrub which is a physical exfoliator. I have about 3 other physical exfoliators in my stash to test but because I'm a fan of Korres, I decided to try their scrub first.
This is another Korres product suited for oily and combination skin that I'm trying on my dry-combination skin.
Korres' Description:
A creamy scrub containing naturally derived exfoliating grains that refine pores, leaving skin radiant.
For Oily to Combination Skin.
Key Features & Benefits
- Formulated with Greek olive stones to effectively refine the look of pores and remove excess sebum, leaving skin radiant.
- Provides antioxidant benefits.
- Gentle yet effective exfoliater.
Key Ingredients
- Pomegranate extract: rich in tannins, tones the skin
- Olive and Calendula extracts: provide antioxidant benefits
What it is formulated WITHOUT
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates
- GMO
- Triclosan
- Mineral Oil
- Propylene Glycol
- Ethanolamine
Sensitive and thin-skinned skin types should steer clear of this scrub. The skin around my cheeks is thin and I'm prone to broken capillaries but I find I can only use the scrub once a week. If used twice or more, my skin becomes blotchy.
The scrub is made up of a mixture of seeds which are large and quite rough but they swim in a creamy base that helps protect/moisturizing the skin from feeling raw and unbearably tight.
The problem with this scrub is that even though it's so tough on my skin, I still find flakes of dry, peeling skin around my nose and forehead.
I don't have large pores so I can't say much about the look of "refined pores" but I do find my skin looks brighter.
The scrub is contained in a squeeze tube with twist off cap. It's hygienic and travel-friendly but a flip-cap would be sweeter. What is sweet is the scent which is similar to the Korres Pomegranate Cream-Gel; mildly stronger and still fresh but doesn't last at all.
Price wise, the scrub is expensive. The ingredients not used to produce this scrub would more than make up for the $26 price tag. However, at 1.35oz, I don't see this living past 3 months if used twice or more weekly.
Bottom Line:
I didn't find my perfect physical exfoliator in the Korres Pomegranate Scrub so the search continues.
I wouldn't recommend this for dry, sensitive or, thin-skinned skin types but I think those with tougher skin will thoroughly enjoy the roughness of this scrub. I don't recall a drugstore brand that produces a scrub similar in texture to the Pomegranate Scrub and even so, the ingredients here could be potentially safer.
P.S. Has anyone noticed the new and updated packaging for Korres products? I have and I like ;)
Ingredients
Water (eau), Olea Europaea (Olive) Seed Powder, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Hexyldecanol, Glycerin, Isodecyl Laurate, Hexyldecyl Laurate, Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyisoprene, Octyldodecanol, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Fragrance (parfum), Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Potassium Sorbate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Lecithin, Punica Granatum Extract, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder.
Disclosure
Make-Up Kismet is a personal blog written and edited by myself. This blog was created to share my experiences with whom ever reads it.
All reviews posted are written by me and are my honest opinions. All products reviewed are purchased by me for personal and/or review purposes unless stated otherwise. Each person is different, as are our experiences. With that said, I cannot be held responsible for any unsatisfying reaction to a product I review or recommend.
Photos on this blog are either from Google, other Bloggers or, my own. I try to depict all products as accurately as possible. I may edit photos for this purpose.
