Kocostar Lemon Slice Mask Sheet Review

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

You don’t have to keep on slicing those fruits you have at home because you can get the same amount of goodness with Kocostar’s Slice Mask Sheet! This is the perfect overnight solution to uneven skin tone. Lemon is a natural brightening ingredient which helps reduce the appearance of dark spots and other skin discolorations. This unique mask sheet also allows you to place the patches onto the areas you need more help with. Results are visibly instant after just one use.

Also available in 2 other varieties:
Cucumber - provides moisture and nourishment
Tomato - helps brighten up dull and exhausted skin

My Top 5 Winter Lipsticks (Non-Drugstore)

Winter is the time for darker, bolder colors so I wanted to show you more of my current favorite lipsticks that are not from the drugstore.

My Top 5 Winter Lipsticks (Drugstore)

I've been into darker lip colors this fall and winter which is rather unusual for me. There's something about a bold lip that can brighten up your complexion and dress up your look in an instant. Here are five of my favorite winter lip products from the drugstore.

Dr. Jart+ Dermask Water Jet Soothing Hydra Solution Review

Product Description
A cellulose sheet mask that hydrates, soothes, and calms the sensitive irritation of the dehydrated skin.With its lightweight fiber mask material, this mask effectively delivers essential nutrients and moisture to the pores for an ultimate hydration therapy.This mask provides instant hydration to relieve the skin from dryness and diminish skin flaking. It features Aloe Vera and Phytoncides which are both exceptional ingredients in terms of healing and moisturizing. It contains natural anti-inflammatory properties which will help the skin to stay calm and avoid further irritation. This mask does not contain parabens, sulfates and phthalates which makes it safe for sensitive skin.

Memebox Fifty Shades of Sheet Masks Box

Last week Memebox released a masks box similar to the Year of Masks Vault Box that I went crazy over during the Black Friday weekend. That box is the Fifty Shades of Sheet Masks and is, surprisingly, still available on the site. Either Memebox stocked up on their inventory this time or the box isn't doing too well in the sales department. Whatever the reason is, I'm happy I was able to grab a box.

Tester Korea Haul Part 2

Here's the second part to my Tester Korea haul. If you haven't read part 1, click here to see what I purchased. As I stated in part 1 haul shipping has been much faster than I expected with registered air mail, the cheapest and slowest shipping option. I ordered everything on Nov. 29, received a shipping confirmation email on Dec. 4, and had the package in my hands by Dec. 15.

December 2015 Birchbox

Birchbox is a monthly subscription box ($10 plus tax) of personalized beauty, grooming, and lifestyle deluxe sized samples tailored to your profile. You can accumulate points with each box and redeem those points at the Birchbox shop. If you review all your products in each monthly box, you can accumulate 50 points which is equivalent to $5 and half the value of the box.

theBalm In theBalm of Your Hand Palette Review

The sleeve arrived with a gash through it!

I've always been attracted to theBalm products and their retro packaging. Currently the only product I own and have tried from the brand is the Nude 'tude palette. You can read my review of it here if you're interested. (Oh wait, I have that tiny sample of Bahama Mama from Birchbox that's the size of my fingernail.)  I really wanted to purchase the In theBalm of Your Hand Palette Greatest Hits Vol. 1 when I saw it was released for the holidays. I contacted theBalm and they confirmed my suspicions...The palette IS a limited edition product so grab it NOW if it's calling your name!

Tester Korea Haul Part 1

Everything was packed securely in bubble wrap.

I haven't been shopping at Tester Korea because Memebox has more or less been my jam lately.
Don't get me wrong, I still love Memebox but the company seems to be focused more on their own brand of makeup rather than curated boxes from different Korean brands. Anyway, Tester had a Black Friday event offering a discount on certain brands like Innisfree, Too Cool For School, and Etude House. Not everything I picked up was part of the event but I find their pricing to be lower in comparison to other sites. I made two orders with Tester as a birthday present to myself. I'm still waiting for the second order which is why I've split up the haul into parts 1 and 2.

Memebox A Year of Masks Black Friday Vault Box

Memebox launched three Black Friday Vault Boxes this year. There was a Skincare and Makeup Vault for $149 with a value of $363, a Makeup Vault for $79 with a value of $195, and A Year of Masks for $79 with a value of $302 containing 100 of Memebox best selling sheet masks. Yup, I was gunning for A Year of Masks, as was everyone else it seemed.

DD'ell All About Nature Gold Kiwi Mask Review

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Formulated with mineral rich deep ocean water and vitamin rich gold kiwi extracts, this Moisture Facial Mask delivers instant moisture relief while soothing, detoxifying, and treating skin pigmentation for a much brighter, youthful complexion.
There are 4 other masks in this line:
Snow Brightening Essence Mask
Aqua Collagen Moisture Facial Mask
All About Nature Manuka Honey Mask
All About Nature Tea Tree Mask

HOW TO USE
Place the sheet mask over clean face. Remove after 15-20 minutes. Pat in the remaining mask essence for full absorption.

INGREDIENTS
Main Ingredient: Contains Kiwi Fruit Extract 1000ppm
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine, PEG-32, PEG/PEG-17/6 Copolymer, Panthenol, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrihizate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Kiwi Fruit Extract, Sea Water, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance

PRICE
I received the Gold Kiwi mask in a 2014 Christmas Collection Memebox. You can purchase the mask at Spicy Avenue for $3 with a retail value of $7. Spicy Avenue sells two other masks besides the Gold Kiwi. One is in Manuka for dry skin and the other is in Tea Tree for soothing and skin troubles. I have tried the Tea Tree mask and thought it was just okay. All the masks are priced on the high side at $7.

SCENT
OMG this is the best smelling mask I've tried so far! Personally I love anything with a fruity scent and do not really gravitate towards straight up floral scents. I can really smell the kiwi in the mask. I'm not exactly sure how much 1000ppm is but I believe that kiwi is the main ingredient after opening up the pouch. As soon as I opened up the pouch, I got this delicious wave of kiwi/other fruits wafted towards my face. There is a very slight floral scent but it's predominantly fruity. I didn't think I was going to write so much about the scent but, clearly, I love the smell of this mask!

FIT
This is one of the widest masks I've ever used. I'm always complaining about sheet masks never fitting the lower sides of my face. Let me tell you, this covered those areas plus the sides of my neck. If you have an unusually wide face, you'll like the fit of DD'ell masks. There is a huge gap at the sides of the nose which is a common issue but it's a bigger gap than usual. I don't mind the gaps in the nose area as I'm more concerned with covering the sides of my face. There are eye flaps so you can choose to cover your eyes while wearing the mask or move the flaps out of the way.

MY THOUGHTS
Just for reference my skin type is oily, although it does get a little drier in the middle of winter. Some years it will change to combination in the winter but it can also stay oily. It really just depends on how rough winters are in NYC. I also struggle with hormonal cystic acne particularly on the lower half of my face and deal with major acne scarring and hyperpigmentation. Sometimes my skin can also be sensitive depending on how bad my breakouts are. The things I look for in a sheet mask are soothing and brightening effects and sebum control.
The majority of essence in the pouch is soaked up in the mask so there isn't too much leftover essence to use at a later time. I did manage to get two more uses with the essence but I was really digging and scraping it out of the pouch. The sheet itself is fairly durable and is easy to open and place on the face. I thought there would be essence dripping everywhere but, once I placed the mask on my face, there was no dripping or sliding happening with the mask. The mask is cooling and I really enjoyed wearing the mask because of the scent. I removed the mask after 20 minutes and the remaining essence absorbed nicely into my skin after 5 minutes or so.
I didn't have too many expectations for the Gold Kiwi mask since I wasn't all that impressed by the Tea Tree one. However, the next morning I swear the redness in my acne scars were significantly better and some of the cystic acne on my jawline had calmed down. My skin did seem brighter as well. I also didn't experience major oiliness in my T-zone area which can be an issue with some sheet masks. This particular sheet mask would be great for all skin types.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I thoroughly approve of this mask and would purchase it in the future. The question is...is it worth $7??? While I really did like this mask, it's not a miracle worker. I probably wouldn't pay $7 for this particular line of masks since there are so many great, cheaper alternatives out there. The good thing is you can find the DD'ell masks for $3 and I'm completely satisfied with that price.

I'm hosting a giveaway through Dec. 18 so enter here.
Follow or like me on Twitter and Facebook for updates and it helps me out a lot!

Thanks for stopping by,
Jennifer

XO Memebox I'm Lip Tint, Tint Balm, and Lip Crayon Review

Not too long ago, I hauled a few lip products from the XO Memebox collection. Here are my thoughts about the I'm Lip Tint, I'm Tint Balm, and the recently repackaged I'm Lip Crayon.

XMAS GIVEAWAY!

'Tis the season to give!
Please read all the rules below carefully before entering. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will be open from now until Friday, Dec. 18 in order for the winner to receive the prize by Xmas.

November 2015 Favorites

I skipped a favorites post for October because I spent a lot of time alternating between products I wanted to review and products I was trying to use up. I didn't really have a chance to use anything consistently enough to consider it a favorite. But, I'm back for a favorites for the month of November since there were quite a few products I used every day.

Memebox Pony Shine Easy Glam Eyeshadow 1 Palette Review

Pony is a self-taught makeup artist who has been gaining quite a bit of attention recently as CL's (from the group 2NE1) makeup artist. She has a large following on both Instagram and YouTube. She personally selected 8 must have shades for a Korean eye makeup style in her first collaboration product with Memebox. Pony, in conjunction with Memebox, has released a new 2.0 version of the Shine Easy Glam Eyeshadow Palette with an improved formula and better packaging. Unfortunately, I did not purchase the first version of the palette so I will not be able to make comparisons or contrasts between the two palettes. This is a review of version 2.0.

Product Empties #6

I'm not going to lie, I'm a little overwhelmed writing this post because I've been putting it off. It's been a few months since my last empties so I've accumulated more products than expected. I managed to finish a few more things while working on this post but I'll save it for empties #7. If I've reviewed any of the products mentioned below, I will link it to the review.

Sephora VIB Haul

It's the most wonderful time of the year...when you can save some money at Sephora. I did not spend ANY money at Sephora this year because I was waiting for the VIB sale where everything is 20% off. There were some changes to the sale this year because Beauty Insiders were excluded from the sale for the first time. VIB Rouge members were disgruntled because they could only shop on certain dates (Nov. 6-9) for the sale rather than receiving the discount both weekends. They did get to shop earlier and get first dibs on everything but, when you spend $1000 or more at a store, one would expect to receive exclusive deals.

Skin Factory Solution A Plus Ampoule Mask Review

This is my first venture into the brand, Skin Factory, so here's a little background information about them. They are a Korean brand founded by a group of medical scientists from Seoul National University. They started as a cosmetics brand to offer pure and natural skincare products which emphasize the well being and balance of the skin for men and women of all skin types. Skin Factory has a "five free" line of products which are alcohol free, fragrance free, preservatives free, pigment free, and mineral oil free. The company is owned by Beauty Finest who also owns Skin Watchers, Yadah Korea, Hermippe, and Chamos Acaci.

Memebox Mini K-Beauty Starter Kit

Not too long ago Memebox released the Mini K-Beauty Starter Kit for $10. It's currently out of stock but the kit may be resold at some point down the road. It's best to check the site regularly for newly released products or boxes and restocked items.

Memebox Haul #4

I've had a chance to accumulate some products from Memebox over the course of a few weeks. I try to time most of my purchases with a sale and I managed to catch the Graveyard Shift Sale. The points you earn from your order can be used towards your next purchase with the company.

November 2015 Birchbox

 

Birchbox is a monthly subscription box ($10 plus tax) of personalized beauty, grooming, and lifestyle deluxe sized samples tailored to your profile. You can accumulate points with each box and redeem those points at the Birchbox shop. If you review all your products in each monthly box, you can accumulate 50 points which is equivalent to $5 and half the value of the box.

Memebox Berrisom Animal Mask Set

After trying the Berrisom Horror Masks from Memebox, I really wanted to purchase their Animal Masks. I used every mask except for the Monkey Mask. The fit of the masks overall were not the greatest for my face shape. All of the masks I tried went into the front portion of my hairline so they were all big in the forehead area. The Panda and Sheep Mask were the worst offenders. I have oily hair, particularly on the roots, so the extra essence would make my hair greasier than usual the next morning. To prevent this I made sure to use a cloth hair band to cover my hair. All the masks have really cute ears but they would either flop over or get into the sides of my hair. Again, this is not great for someone with oily hair. The masks also didn't cover the sides of my cheek or jaw area and the mouth cut out was not wide or big enough for me. The Berrisom logo is printed on the left side of each mask underneath the eye area.

November Birthday Giveaway

It's my birthday month and I wanted to show some appreciation to each and every one of my readers out there so I'm hosting a little giveaway. When I started Jenn Loves beauty earlier in the year, I had no idea if it was going to be something I did sporadically or a continuous thing. Thankfully, there are those of you out there who take the time to read my blog which encourages me to keep plugging away at posts.

Memebox Lucky Box

I decided to go against my better judgement and purchase the Lucky Box. I was so pleased with the last one, you can read about it here, that I thought I'd push my luck a second time.

Memebox Shara Shara Box

The Shara Shara Box from Memebox was released for a second time a few weeks ago. It sold out rather quickly the first time it was released. At the time it was released I had declared myself on a "no buy" but quickly regretted the decision. There was quite a bit of chatter about how good this box was, particularly with the Honey and Berry Bombs. There is one difference between the first release of the box and this time around. The Berry Berry Waterful Cleansing Sherbet has been replaced with the White Stem Sleeping Mask.

Berrisom Horror Mask Set

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I thought this would be the perfect time to do a mini review of the Berrisom Horror Masks. You can find them at Memebox sold as a set for $3 with a retail value of $6 here.

XO Memebox I'm Eyeshadow Review

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
From the K-drama inspired “no makeup” makeup look all the way to K-Pop star inspired dollish, sparkly makeup, get the eye makeup looks Koreans are crushing on. These eyeshadows go on buttery smooth, saturating the eyes with rich pigmentation that lasts all day.

• Matte, Shimmer, or Glitter; 35 gorgeous colors to fit every mood
• Super pigmented; Pro Fix formula locks the color in place
• Long-lasting; Sebum Control Powder acts as a primer that prevents oil build up and creasing
• Silky smooth and blendable; Oil Binder System allows even application and minimizes fall
• outs

Photo by Memebox

Memebox Ciracle Mask Bundle Set

I haven't tried any Ciracle products before but I have been tempted in the past to purchase several things from their anti-acne line. When their From Jeju Mask Set was released on Memebox, I instantly put in an order on the site.

Memebox I'm Lipstick Review

Let's take a look at the new and improved formula in the Memebox I'm Lipstick line.

Dewytree Deep Detox Black Mask Review

I'm really enjoying sheet masking these days and have been stocking up on my mask supply left and right. I just purchased the Berrisom Animal Masks and Horror Mask so I'll be reviewing those and the Ciracle Masks in the next few weeks. So, let's take a look at the Dewytree Deep Detox Black Mask.

Memebox Ariul Detox Box

I've really been into sheet masks these days and stumbled upon the Ariul Detox Box on Memebox. It comes with 11 Ariul masks and two other products. There is a little price discrepancy between what's listed on the information card provided and the website. For instance, the Avocado mask is listed as $2.50 on the site so the total value for 3 should be $7.50 rather than $6. The Lemon masks are priced lower on the info card, 2 for $4, whereas the site lists an individual one for $2.50. I have noticed several instances where Memebox will adjust product prices, particularly if there's a sale going on. Just saying, obviously I spend a little too much time on the site to notice such activities.

Goodal Watery Blue Flower Calming Mask Review

I was going through my used sheet masks to feature in an upcoming empty products post when I realized it would be easier to write up individual mask reviews that were a little more detailed. With that said, I saw the Goodal Blue Flower Calming Masks on the Memebox site (they were also sold on Hautelook not too long ago) and thought they might help with my skin issues.

October 2015 Birchbox

Birchbox is a monthly subscription box ($10 plus tax) of personalized beauty, grooming, and lifestyle deluxe sized samples tailored to your profile. You can accumulate points with each box and redeem those points at the Birchbox shop. If you review all your products in each monthly box, you can accumulate 50 points which is equivalent to $5 and half the value of the box.

Memebox Botanic Farm Sparkling Pop Set

About a month ago Memebox provided a discount code of 25% off specified sparkling water products. There were products from 3 brands (Leader Insolution, Innisfree, and Botanic Farm) and I chose to go with the Botanic Farm Sparkling Pop Set.

Sparkling mineral water has become quite popular in Korean skincare lately because the minerals in it contain healing properties which can soothe irritated skin and stimulate the skin by improving blood circulation which helps in collagen production.

Son & Park Skin Fit Foundation SPF 45 PA++ Review

I have a weakness for stick foundations so I had to try out the Skin Fit Foundation from Son & Park when I saw it sold on Memebox in early August. (I reviewed two lip crayons from Son & Park not too long ago. Read here if you're interested.)

Memebox Haul #3

Lately I seem to be writing mostly about hauls so I'm behind on reviews. Going out of town again this weekend but I'll have more reviews up next week or the week after that.
If you've been following my blog recently you'll know that I've been struggling with my skin, particularly in the lower parts of my face and jawline. As soon as one side clears up I have another massive breakout and the cycle continues. It's been a source of frustration and embarrassment particularly since I had clear skin through my twenties and the early part of my thirties. I've been enjoying sheet masks as a way of soothing and calming any acne flareups so I decided to make an order with Memebox.

City Pharma Haul + Paris Highlights

I'm baaack! For those of you that don't follow my Facebook page (click the like button to the right) I've just returned from Paris. I got engaged there and this trip was to celebrate our wedding anniversary. It was great to return to the city, rediscover the places we previously visited, explore new sites, and eat delicious food.

Maybelline Lip Studio Color Blur Review

Product Description
Maybelline's Lip Studio Color Blur redefines the rules of color with a cream matte pencil and blurring smudger. The cream matte pencil feels extremely smooth and comfortable on lips, while the blurring smudger creates your own looks from full-on bold to softly blurred. Color Blur comes in 10 shades ranging from vivids to neutrals.

Tester Korea Haul + Memebox

I've recently discovered the joys of shopping the samples section at Tester Korea. I'm inundated with too many full size products to justify buying more so I've convinced myself it makes sense to purchase samples. Plus you save money on shipping by purchasing packets since Tester bases their shipping costs by weight. By the way shipping was unusually fast this time around, a little under two weeks which is lightening fast for selecting the registered air mail option. It's the cheapest and slowest shipping option. The order total was around $35.

Memebox Staff Picks Skincare Box

This Staff Picks Skincare Box is a continuation of my order from the Memebox Memecat promotion over Labor Day weekend. As soon as I saw it on the site I knew I had to purchase it. I would have bought the box even if there hadn't been a promotion going on.

September 2015 Birchbox

Birchbox is a monthly subscription box ($10 plus tax) of personalized beauty, grooming, and lifestyle deluxe sized samples tailored to your profile. You can accumulate points with each box and redeem those points at the Birchbox shop. If you review all your products in each monthly box, you can accumulate 50 points which is equivalent to $5 and half the value of the box.

Memebox Tony Moly Earth Beauty Mask Bundle Set

If you read my last post, you already know I purchased quite a few things from Memebox over Labor Day weekend. This Tony Moly Earth Beauty Mask Set was one of the purchases I made during their holiday promotion. The masks are relatively new products on the market and caught my eye right away.

Memebox Back to School Box

I had been tempted to buy the Back to School Box as soon as it was released but I was waiting for a sale or promotion to come around. Lo and behold my wish was granted and a Labor Day weekend promotion appeared! I went a little crazy so you'll be reading about some of the Memebox purchases I made for the next few blog posts.

September Mishibox

Mishibox's mission is to help customers explore the world of K-beauty and discover products in a convenient, effortless, and affordable way. Currently Mishibox ships only within the U.S. and Canada but they're hoping to expand and offer shipping to other countries. You can sign up for the international wait list here.

Son & Park Lip Crayon Review

Son & Park is a brand created by two popular Korean celebrity makeup artists, Son Dae Sik and Park Dae Yun. They serve as exclusive makeup artists for many famous Korean actors and actresses. Son is the official makeup artist for Jun Ji Hyun. (Her breakout film was My Sassy Girl in 2001 which was a huge hit in Korea and throughout Asia. If you haven't watched it, you need to! After wearing YSL Rouge Pur Couture No 52 in My Love From The Star, the lipstick sold out worldwide.)
Back to Son & Park, the two have been friends since high school and known for bringing the natural dewy look to life.  Dewy, glowing skin has been a trend with Korean women for quite some time now. They developed the technique with their own hands and it became their signature at editorial shoots and fashion shows. Their logo is a hand with the cursive letters S and P.

Tester Korea Haul + Harmon

I've done a little shopping at Harmon Face Values and Tester Korea over the course of the past few weeks. By now, if you're a regular reader of my blog, you know my love for Harmon and their discounts. You can use those 20% off coupons from Bed Bath & Beyond on a single item in addition to manufacturer coupons. I had an extra incentive to shop at the store because they sent me a $20 off $50 purchase coupon. I won't include the boring essentials like hand sanitizer, toothpaste, or body wash so you'll only see the makeup items I purchased from the store.

Memebox Lucky Box

I always seem to be disappointed by randomly selected boxes like this Lucky Box, yet I can't resist the urge to buy one. It didn't help that I saw some spoilers of what people received and there were a good assortment of products. Let's see if I had any luck this time and get into what's inside the Memebox!