Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly BB SPF20 PA++ Review

About the Brand
Holika Holika is a Korean cosmetics company created in 2010. Their products feature unique eye-catching packaging to appeal to young, style conscious customers, both female and male. They offer affordable prices on high quality products made with the finest ingredients. Their vision is to provide fun practical cosmetics products to enhance every woman's natural beauty. Holika Holika is derived from the suffix "holic" (addiction) and the Korean word "holida" (temptation) to form the brand name and its concept.

Product Description
Contains 80% aqua mint water, which is made from various fruit extracts and Alaskan glacial water. This is a water based BB cream that creates a light and refreshed finish. The jelly textured BB cream makes skin look moist and hydrated. It is also perfect for covering up facial blemishes.
There are 2 shades available:
01 Aqua Beige
02 Aqua Natural

Ingredient
Water, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Isostearate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Codium Tomentosum Extract, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Ecklonia Cava Extract, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Mentha Rotundifolia Leaf Extract, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Caviar Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyapatite, Agar, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Glycerin, PEG-8, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Atelocollagen, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Chlorphenesin, Propylparaben, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance(Parfum), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oxides (CI 77499)

Price
I purchased this at TesterKorea for 9450 won=$8.72. You can also find it on Amazon for $12.93 with free shipping. Holika Holika Aqua Petit jelly BB Cream 40ml #1

My Thoughts
I love how the packaging looks with the frosted glass container and polka dots on the lid. In terms of practicality however, I'm not crazy about a glass bottle since there's always a chance I could drop it. Hasn't happened yet (knock on wood) but this is not for the accident prone. It is not ideal for travel since the glass makes it heavier than other face products.

There is a spatula built into the lid for sanitary reasons. You still have to put the spatula on to your hands or face so make sure they're clean.

A puff is provided but it was useless for application in my opinion. I'd prefer to pay a little bit more for a pump but you can't have everything.

There is a fragrance which fades quickly after application. If you're sensitive to fragrance, this may not work for you. The scent is light, fresh, slightly floral and reminds me of the Clio Realest Wear Moist Foundation I reviewed not too long ago.

This product does contain parabens and sodium benzoate which makes me cringe a little. Luckily my skin hasn't suffered any more breakouts than usual but I'd like to avoid such ingredients if possible. I do like that this is water based and contains a physical sunscreen.

Shade 01 Aqua Beige is a perfect match for me and does not oxidize on the skin. When you scoop the product out, you will see the jelly texture. There is a cooling sensation on application which might be from the mentha piperita (peppermint) in the ingredient list. The texture is light and spreads like water. Since this is water based, it dries fast and you have to work quickly before it locks into place. I set the BB with powder and it doesn't need to be touched up for a solid 5-6 hours, amazing! This does not hide your pores so I would recommend using a primer beforehand if this is a concern. The finish is semi-matte which feels and looks like natural skin. You only need to use a small amount to get a medium coverage.

Final Thoughts

I like this foundation, especially the formula, but I'm not in love with it because of the ingredient list.

PROS
Cute packaging
Very affordable-a little goes a long way
Provides light to medium coverage-best method to apply is to dot all over your face and blend in with a stippling brush
Mostly water based so it's great for those with combination-oily skin and in the summer months
Very nice semi-matte, satin finish that feels light
Doesn't oxidize or slide off
SPF with a physical sunscreen

CONS
Packaging can be unsanitary and is bulky, heavy
Only 2 shades and both are for lighter complexions
*This is not a con for me but maybe for some of you out there* Has a noticeable fragrance
Ingredient list-parabens, sodium benzoate

Hope you had a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!
Jennifer