Kose Softymo Nose Clean Pack

 Here's an Asian brand blackhead nose strip - Kose Softymo Nose Clean Pack. This is a nose pore strip that'll strip blackheads off the nose. The funny description of this product says, "Kose Cosmeport Softymo Nose Clean Pack removes all dirt, impurities and blackheads from pore with no mercy." Take note on the "no mercy" part. Kose is a Japanese brand, by the way.

I know we are all used to pore strips that are color white, but this one is black. I noticed that most Asian blackhead treating product are black. It's black because it contains charcoal. The picture on the right are the actual nose strip. The grayish strip is the top part while the black one is the side you put on your nose. Once you got those in place, wet it a little all over then wait for it to dry.

Once it hardens, the exciting part comes! You can now peel it off.

Since it's black, it's easier for you to see the blackheads and oil stuck onto the strip.

As of any pore strip, I prefer using this after a warm bath. It's when our pores open up. I also use a facial mask before using a pore strip. The face mask helps soften up my skin which makes it better in using a pore strip.

Zoya in Edyta

This is is Zoya in Edyta.

The color is a mixture of gold and olive green with a sparkling metallic finish. You can  see the olive shade in this picture which I shot indoors. I applied 2 coats without any top coat.

Green polish is a bit intimidating, but this color is great! It's a dark shade so it doesn't look too shocking. I like the metallic touch to this because it gives it a dramatic look. 

** Update**

I didn't expect to have a REALLY hard time removing this polish. When I tried removing this nail polish, the green shade was easy to come off but then left the gold undertone that is really hard to rub off.

Etude BB Magic Cream

 

After spending a really long time inside the Etude House shop, I decided to get ETUDE HOUSE BB Magic Cream.

I just don't understand the packaging concept of bb creams in tube. If it's in a tube, why not let us squeeze the cream out like a toothpaste? Anyway...

Etude House BB Magic Cream Moist is said to be for dry skin. I don't have dry skin but still purchase it anyway. I can't read the Korean description at the back of the box and tube so I went to their English website. Website says that this bb cream contains Aloe Vera, Chamomile, Madecassol, Centella Asiatica for skin nourishing and soothing. 

This bb cream is easy to blend. It also has a pleasant smell. The shade is just right for my skin tone. I just dusted some loose powder after. 

Here's the swatch of the cream. Beside it is a small spot where I blended it onto my arm. It blends well and the shade matches my complexion perfectly.

The consistency is normal, not too thick nor watery. It's easy to blend. Because it's for dry skin, this bb cream made my face oily. Therefore, oil control is not good.

I had this bb cream on and took a picture of myself and to my horror! My face came out whiter than the rest of my body. It looks normal naturally. Maybe the effect has something to do with the camera flash.

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer

 

If you're looking for a good concealer that does a good job in covering your imperfections, then this Benefit Boi-ing Concealer is for you! The time I bought this, I was breaking out pretty bad and was looking for a concealer to hide it all. I tested almost every concealer in the makeup store until I came upon this one.

This concealer is "Industrial Strength" and really camouflages pimples, dark circles and other skin tone discoloration well. My problem with concealers is that it usually doesn't last long on my face because it gets rubbed off easily or melts away when the weather is hot. This concealer just stays put. Maybe because of it's "industrial strength". The cream is a bit dry, but it blends easily.

This concealer is available in 3 shades, I got the medium shade - #02. But after a few months past, I think my complexion became lighter and now, I think I should have gotten the #01 shade. Well, good thing my acne healed up so I won't need to use this that often anymore. (FYI, I'm a Mac NC25)

Overall, I think this concealer is good for people with oily skin. It really stays put well. When I had my make-up done by a make-up artist a few months back, I brought this out for her to use. She was pretty shocked on how good this concealer is.

I think there's two versions of the packaging of this concealer. Mine has a mirror with in. The other one doesn't have any mirror and is see-thru on top. 

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

I use this Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque as a treatment for blackheads and oily skin. It's a cheap yet effective at home treatment for pimples. I have been using this for many years now. 

This product helps "dry up pimples, rinse away blackheads and shrink enlarged pores". That's quoting from the description at the back. 

To use this, just apply it over your clean face. Upon application, it might sting a little. I think it's because of the mint. When this happen, I fan my face. It will eventually calm down around 2-3 minutes.

I apply this on my entire face, even covered up my eyebrows with this. You wait for this green paste to harden in about 10 - 15 minutes then rinse it off. 

It doesn't literally washes blackheads away. But it sure does dry up pimples fast. Sometimes, I'd use this as a spot-on treatment on my pimples. 

It's a bit hard to wash this mask off. Once you're able to get all the green mask off, you'll see great results. I love how refreshed my face looks after. My skin also feels tighter.

To help completely remove blackheads, I'd use a pore strip after washing off this mask. I think it's the perfect time to use a pore strip since your face is soft from the mask, which will make it easier for the blackheads to get pulled out. 

theBalm Read My Lips in Scoop

 

Here's a lipstick that I like - the Balm Read My Lips Lipstick. This lipstick is creamy and moisturizing. It contains Vitamins A and E for conditioning. Jojoba and olive oil for deep moisturizing. Using this lipstick will leave your lips soft and smooth..

Here's the shade

This shade is a warm rosy pink.

Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Toner

This is the toner I'm currently using - Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Toner. It's another Neutrogena toner that helps fight acne because it contains 2% Salicylic Acid. Aside from that, this product also contains an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) which I love! The AHA found here is Glycolic Acid which helps  remove dead skin cells and also fades post acne marks.

So, now you may have an idea as to why this toner is called "Fight & Fade". Anyway, i'll still explain it. This toner "fights" acne because of the acne medication salicylic acid. And, it also "fades" acne marks with the AHA agent that's in the ingredient. In short, it FIGHTS breakouts and FADES the look of post-acne marks. 

This toner is also good in removing dirt and oil. My cotton ball really becomes brown. It doesn't dry out my skin. I use this twice a day and it doesn't cause any problem. As of breaking out, I don't breakout that often anymore. I use this to prevent breakout. So far it's doing a good job!