[innisfree] green persimmon pore special kit

Sometimes I see an interesting product and don't dare to buy it because of its high price. In this case I'm always happy when I can get samples like the green persimmon pore special kit from [innisfree].
This skincare line is particularly suitable for people with enlarged pores and consists of the following products:
- pore toner
- pore pad
- pore essence
- pore pack&cream

The special kit contains the products in smaller sizes - the pads are not included in this kit, though.

The samples come inside a small paper box and the whole line is kept in turquoise and white colors. The special kit has no english description while I'm sure the full sizes got it.

pore toner (15ml):

This toner, formulated with pure Jeju green persimmon extracts, helps manage pores while the ethanol-free formula softly refines your skin texture.

pore essence (10ml):

This essence, formulated with pure Jeju green persimmon extracts, helps manage pores while the moisture popping essence gently enwraps your skin, leaving it feeling soft and smooth.

pore pack&cream (5ml):

This pack & cream, formulated with pure Jeju green persimmon extracts, helps manage pores while the 'Pore Re-Forming Technology' builds up a pore tightening barrier, leaving your skin feeling smooth and sleek.

All products have a very nice scent, kinda fruity and yet citrus-like.

The toner is colorless and leaves a refreshing and cooling feeling on my skin. 

Apply it with a cotton pad after washing your face.

The pore essence has a watery consistency and a whitish color. It moisturizes my skin, slightly tightens my pores and mattyfies my skin.
Just apply it right after the toner!

The pack&cream is a 2-in-1 product: it can be used as a face cream or as sleeping pack.
When using the white gel-cream as face cream just apply an appropriate amount to your face (especially on areas with enlarged pores).
As sleeping pack, apply the product to your whole face before going to sleep and wash it off the next morning.

Since I have only the special kit I can't tell if these products really improve ones skin texture. 

I like the toner because of its cooling effect and the essence/ cream makes my pores smaller looking and my skin less shiny.

Price (sample kit): around 4,50,- €/ US$6 
Bought at: eBay (rubyruby76)  
 
What I love:
The cooling effect of the toner and the matte finish of the essence. The scent is also quite nice!   
What I don’t like:
Nothing yet!  

Will I buy this again? Might consider of getting the toner as full size (US$17).

[SKINFOOD] Mafura Oil Daily Mask Sheet

I slowly get used to sheet masks and so I finally ordered a few weeks ago the Mafura Oil Daily Mask Sheet from [SKINFOOD]. This sheet masks are kinda pricey when purchased outside Korea, that's why I didn't buy it earlier.

Anyway, when I received my parcel I saw that the whole box was a bit damaged and the lid of the Mafura Oil Daily Mask Sheet was missing. I still can use it but I'm worried that the sheets might dry out faster now!

The top of the box should actually look like this:

Three (3) different types are available:

- Mafura Oil Daily Mask Sheet (anti-trouble)

- Brazil Nut Oil Daily Mask Sheet (moisturizing)

- Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil Daily Mask Sheet (vitamin c & deep hydration)

Description: A convenient pack of anti-trouble mask sheets for daily use. Gently seals the skin to relieve skin troubles.

Mafura Oil Story: This oil from the seeds of the African Trichilia tree is chiefly used for culinary purposes and provides skin relief.

The box has a light brown color and looks like those tissue boxes everybody knows. On top would usually be a brown flip-top lid but that's missing on my one. It looks a bit weird without but at least I can use the product!

Inside the box are 20 sheet masks: in a seperate package which reminds me of make-up remover wipes!

The ingredients of the Mafura Oil Daily Sheet Mask are the following ones:

Water, Glycerin, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Trichilia Emetica Seed Butter, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaine, Raffinose, Polysorbate 80, Disodium Edta, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Triethanolamine and Methylparaben.

The soft cotton sheets are easily to get out of the box by opening the lid and pull out a sheet like a tissue from a tissue box. Don't forget to close the lid again after use otherwise the product inside will dry out faster!!

Each sheet is soaked with a essence and are slightly scented.

The sheet itself doesn't fit perfectly on my face especially my nose area isn't covered well. After 15 minutes the sheets getting more dry and I massage the remaining essence into my skin.

The Mafura Oil Daily Sheet Mask is recommended for oily or troubled skin and can be used daily!

How to use: 1. Cleanse and tone skin. 

2. Apply 1 mask sheet on the face by pulling it to sit tightly against the skin. 

3. Remove the sheet after 10 to 15 minutes and massage in the surplus essence.

Price: around 16,50,- €/ US$20 
Bought at: eBay (rubyruby76)     

    
What I love: 

There is nothing I really love yet! But the sheet masks are easy and fast to use!

    
What I don’t like: 

I would prefer that each sheet is packed separately. They might dry out fast inside the box!

    
Will I buy this again? No, I won't!

[ETUDE HOUSE] PRINCESS 3D MASK *GINSENG & LYCHEE*

I mentioned already that I'm not a very big fan of sheet masks because they never fit to my face shape. That doesn't mean that I never use them, though. Some month ago I received two (2) sheet masks which I really like because they are a bit different to the normal ones. I'm talking about the PRINCESS 3D MASK from [ETUDE HOUSE] which I will review now.

You can get the 3D MASK in 5 types:

- GINSENG (Korea's Joseon Dynasty Royal Secret Beauty Tip)

- HONEY & MILK (Egypt's Cleopatra Secret Beauty Tip)

- RED WINE (France's Marie Antionette Secret Beauty Tip)

- CHERRY BLOSSOM (Japanese Royal Family Secret Beauty Tip)

- LYCHEE (China's Poppy Secret Beauty Tip)

Since each mask cost overseas around US$5 I just bought GINSENG and LYCHEE for now!

Description: Mask sheet made from stretch material with a unique "three-dimensional" design that covers the entire face and neck. Essence formulated with natural ingredients for Princess inspired beauty treatment.

I tried out the GINSENG mask only and will use LYCHEE soon as well!

Each pack contains just 1 sheet with 35g and is kept in different colors. Furthermore, there is always a print of the 'princess', a building of the country and of the main ingredient on it. 

I got the masks of the Chinese and Korean princess!

The description is in Korean and English on the back. Some ingredients are Bambusa Vulgaris Water, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Alcohol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Robinia Pseudacacia Flower Extract, Panthenol, Macadamia Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Lecithin and Parfum.

The sheet is very soft and the 3D design fits to my face shape much better than the usual ones. You apply it on your face, as well as on your neck!

The mask has a lot of fluid inside which you massage in your skin at the end. 

My skin feels refreshed and moisturized afterwards.

GINSENG is nice fragranced! I don't think it's a ginseng scent but I'm not sure about that coz I seldom smell on ginseng.

How to use: After cleansing and toning, adhere mask to facial surface. Fit to contours of face and leave on for 20~30 minutes. Remove mask and massage remaining solution into skin with hands.

Recommended interval for mask application is every 2~3 days for maximum efficacy.

Price (each): around 3,60,- €/ US$4.70 
Bought at: eBay (rubyruby76)    

What I love:  

The 3D design and my skin feels moisturized afterwards!

What I don’t like: 

It's a bit pricey for just 1 sheet. 

Will I buy this again? Yes, I would! Wanna try out the other ones, too.

[Holika Holika] fairy water Pure Fresh *Toner & Oil Paper Cream*

The last few days I wasn't really active in my blog because I still recover from a cold but I see that I got already 61 followers. I'm quite happy about that so thanks to everyone!!

Since I get most of my Asian cosmetic over eBay I noticed that many seller don't have the stuff they sell in-stock. They usually buy it after you ordered it. [Holika Holika] released last year a mild skincare line called fairy water. This product line is available as Pure Fresh (blue) for combination/ oily skin and as Pure Aqua (purple) for normal/ dry skin. I couldn't find these products at eBay so I just asked one seller if he/she can sell it and a few days later I purchased the Pure Fresh Toner and the Pure Fresh Oil Paper Cream.

This mild skincare line is free of 6 chemicals: Artificial Color, Artificial Flavoring, Benzophenone, Mineral Oil, Ethanol (Alcohol) and Paraben. 

These products can be used by people with sensitive skin!

Description: Hypo-allergenic skincare with 6 irritant-free formula for your delicate skin. Magical fairy water makes your skin moist and revitalized.

Pure Fresh Toner:

This toner for combination/ oily skin comes in a medium-sized translucent, blueish bottle. It looks like a glass bottle but I'm pretty sure it's rather hard plastic. The bottle contains 170ml and has a white twist-off lid.

Inside the hole is a small plug to prevent the toner from coming out when you don't want it. You can easily remove the plug before first use.
The Pure Fresh Toner is colorless and got a herbal/ citrus-like scent. 

The main ingredients are: Chamomile Water, Daisy, Tea Tree, Lavender and Calendula.

I like that this toner doesn't burn on my skin and will use it in the morning.

  

Pure Fresh Oil Paper Cream:

The cream for oily skin is inside a light blue tube and contains just 25ml. I wished it would be bigger! It has almost the same size as the goodbye PORE EVER Primer from [ETUDE HOUSE]. The lid is a simple white twist-off lid again.

Like the toner the cream also got as main ingredients Chamomile Water, Daisy, Tea Tree etc.. It is called Oil Paper Cream coz it will absorb the sebum on your skin like those oil-absorbing paper sheets.

The consistency is rather watery like a lotion or essence and not creamy. The whitish cream is easy to spread over my face, makes it sleek and keeps it oil-free for longer. Unfortunately, I also got some dry areas on my skin and for those the Oil Paper Cream isn't enough. Have to use another cream as well.
The scent is a bit weird but also not very strong. I would say it is a floral/ herbal scent!

I like the fairy water line because it is made for sensitive skin but also for either dry or oily skin. 

I will use both products for my morning skincare regime because these won't irritate my skin and make it more red.  

Use the toner with a cotton pad and the cream as last step. There is also a emulsion available which you would use between these two.

Price: around 12,- €/ US$16 (Oil Paper Cream); around 13,- €/ US$17 (Pure Fresh Toner) 

Bought at: eBay (zinopark)

What I love: 

Mostly that it's good for sensitive skin AND oily skin. 

My skin looks less oily after using the cream!!

What I don’t like: 

There is nothing I dislike yet. 

   

Will I buy this again? Not sure yet but I will get the Pure Aqua Cream for my dry skin areas.

[Holika Holika] Cherry Blossoms Essence Sheet Mask

During my stay in Malaysia, Taiwan and South Korea I found out that Asian countries got a lot of sheet masks. As someone who raised up with mud masks this was kinda new for me. After trying out some I can say that I don't really like them. The sheet masks are always way too big for my face and I can't walk around while wearing them because sooner or later the mask will fall off. With mud masks I won't have that problems.
Nevertheless, I bought some 'interesting' sheet masks or got them as a freebie. One of them is the [Holika Holika] Cherry Blossoms Essence Mask Sheet.

Description: Containing essence of cherry blossoms extract that's rich in minerals, it provides water and nutrition to the skin to keep it moist, and clears up the skin tone to make clean and shiny skin.

The packaging contains just one sheet mask, so you can use it for one (1) time only.
On the front is a pic of korean boyband CN BLUE and on the back is the description of how to use the mask (in Korean, English and Japanese).

20ml of product are inside the sheet!

The Cherry Blossom Sheet Mask got the nice scent of cherry blossoms which reminds me of the BODY BUTTER from [THE BODY SHOP] I used ages ago.
I used the mask after I cleaned my face with the clarisonic Mia and my skin was burning a little bit while wearing the mask. But afterwards I could see that my skin looked a bit brighter and wasn't dry anymore.

How to use: Apply toner to cleanse the skin after washing.

Open up the package, unfold the mask sheet and fit the mask over the face according to the shape.

Peel off the mask after 15~20 minutes and pat the remaining essence gently to absorb.

Price: around 1,50,- €/ S$2.50 
Bought at: iheartkoreanbeauty.com  

What I love: 
The scent and my skin looks a bit clearer afterwards.

What I don’t like:  

Those sheet masks never fit my face. 

Will I buy this again? Will try other ones probably.