Spotlight | Beyond Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base.

When you live in a tropical country such as the Philippines, it feels like summer all year round. Today's weather, for instance, was unbelievably hot and humid (31 degrees, but it felt more like a scorching 39 outside) - to think it's already the rainy season.

Beyond Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base.

And this is exactly the reason why I bought this Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base when I visited Korea last spring. This sun base, which sells for 17000 won (around Php 700 or $14), is part of Beyond Cosmetics' and Disney's Alice in Wonderland collaboration collection.

Lovely illustration on the side panel.

Now I'm all for primers with SPF for three good reasons. Primers, for one, keep your makeup intact and last for an entire day at the most. With the added sun protection factor, you don't have to apply another sunblock to your face. And since I can skip wearing sunblock, I don't have to worry about break-outs or allergies (hello, sensitive skin) or that heavy, greasy feel on my face all throughout the day.

And pretty prints on the other side.

Aside from the sun protection factor - a whopping SPF 50 PA+++ - the packaging is another reason why I purchased this product. Just look at the pretty details! Even the tube itself is pretty, with its frosted pink cap and gold details that give this sun base a very elegant vibe.

The 50 mL tube.

It comes with a screw cap for easy use, and a small nozzle which allows sufficient control on the amount of product being dispensed.

Screw-off cap.

However, both the box and the tube hardly have English text written on it. Save for the name of the product, everything else is written in Hangul.

Back of the box.

Back of the tube.

Now let's take a look at the product itself. 

Just the right amount of the sun base...

The Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base is a lightly-tinted primer that evens out the skin tone as it moisturizes and preps your skin for makeup. It also functions as a sunblock to protect the skin from harmful UV rays.  

... and how it looks like when applied.

This sun base contains red algae extracts known for its antioxidant properties and its ability to neutralize free radicals that can cause damage to the skin in the form of fine lines and wrinkles. It also contains True Eco Complex, which hydrates and brightens the skin.

Left without sun base, right with sun base.

This product has a slightly thicker consistency, similar to that of regular sunblock but without the sticky, greasy feel. I love its lightweight, easy-to-blend formula and its subtle floral scent.

Bare face.

Once applied, it makes the skin look a bit shiny which eventually turns into a nice, glowing finish as it blends into the skin.

With the Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base.

I love how this sun base preps my skin for makeup application. You know those soft focus filters work on photo editing apps?  This product sort of does the same thing, only in real life. And with sun protection, at that!

And all dolled-up! :)
Products used:
FACE: Beyond Alice in Blooming Skin Tone Sun Base,
Missha Wrinkle Filler BB Cream,
Ever Bilena Liquid Concealer in Light,
Peripera Snow White Pride Up Pact.
EYES: Etude House Tint My Eyebrows,
Clio Kill Black Pen Liner,
Tony Moly Simply Style Slim Curling Mascara.
CHEEKS: Ever Bilena Cheek Blush in Raisin.
LIPS: Beyond Rich Color Tint Balm in Tok Wine.

Pucker Up! | Beyond Rich Color Tint Balm.

I must confess - I have a growing affinity for Beyond Cosmetics, especially their makeup line. I actually hoarded a few items from their recently launched Alice in Blooming collection after falling in love with its predecessor, the Alice in Glow collection.

But before I show you all the stuff that I bought whilst here in Korea, let me introduce to you first to Beyond's Rich Color Tint Balm - my favorite lip product as of late.

Beyond Rich Color Tint Balm.

I actually bought this on a whim last December, because they were on a 1+1 Sale the very first time I went to Myeongdong. Here in Korea, they call 'Buy One Take One' sale events as '1+1'. So I bought this shade, #10 Tok Wine, and gave the other one to my mother-in-law.

Shade #10.

Beyond's Rich Color Tint Balm actually functions two ways - as a lip tint, with its rich and vivid color; and as a lip balm, since it moisturizes the lips and makes it soft and healthy-looking.

Hangul text at the back of the box.

Beyond Cosmetics' products are paraben-free and cruelty-free.

There are different ten shades in the Rich Color Tint Balm collection. Had I known beforehand how wonderful this product is, I would have bought the other colors as well.

#10 Tok Wine up close.

#10 Tok Wine is a lovely shade of plum. The color can be a bit intimidating, as it does look dark at first glance. Actually, that's the reason why I bought this shade in the first place. I was leaning towards deep purple/plum/burgundy lip colors last winter.

And closer.

However, this shade doesn't look too dark or intimidating when swatched or applied on the lips. From the swatches below, you'll see that it's more pink than plum. But I like it nonetheless. :)

One swipe on the right, two swipes on the left.

Oh, and can you see how pigmented this stuff is for a lip balm? It's even more pigmented than some of the lipstick brands that I have tried over the years! I love its texture, too - creamy and buttery, with a sheer but buildable finish.

One swipe on my lips.

Wear time is pretty impressive too, considering it's (just) a lip balm. This shade in particular remains intact for at least 3 or 4 hours before it starts to fade away into a natural-looking, pinkish stain on the lips.

My only gripe? Swiping the lip balm on the corners of my mouth can be a challenge because of its rounded shape. Other than that, I'm all too happy with this impulse buy. Haha!

What I love:

- For a lip balm, it's highly pigmented.

- Keeps the lips soft and hydrated.

- Lots of colors to choose from.

- Decent wear time, and leaves the lips

with a lovely stain as the color fades.

- Subtle, fruity scent.

- Affordable price (retails for 9500 Korean won each.

I actually got two lip balms for that price because of the 1+1 promo).

What you might not like:

- Getting the color on the corners of your mouth can be pretty tricky.

- Not available locally.

Products Used:
FACE: Innisfree No Sebum Blur Pact,
Laneige Snow BB Cream,
Benefit Erase Paste in Medium,
Peripera Snow White Pride Up Pact.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
Clio Kill Black Pen Liner,
Tony Moly Simply Style Slim Curling Mascara.
CHEEKS: Tony Moly Cristal Blusher in Pleasure Peach.
LIPS: Beyond Rich Color Tint Balm in #10 Tok Wine.

Sneak Peek | Beyond x Alice in Wonderland Collection Season 2!

In my previous blog post, I gave you a glimpse of the Alice in Wonderland collection from Korean cosmetics brand Beyond. The limited edition collection was a big hit last year, and now the brand just outdid itself by launching a second edition of the very popular Alice in Wonderland collection!

Aptly named 'Alice in Blooming', this season's collection has a more feminine vibe with vibrant hues and floral prints. The products are practically screaming 'Spring is here'!

Beyond x Alice in Wonderland Season 2!

Let's go down the rabbit hole and take a look at what's in store!
Sneak peek after the jump! :)

Pucker Up! | Beyond Alice in Glow Oil Tint.

Prior to my trip to Myeongdong, I had no idea Beyond Cosmetics launched a makeup collaboration with Disney. I was not aware either that it was a makeup line dedicated to Alice in Wonderland, one of my favorite childhood novels. And so I had the surprise of my life when I entered the Beyond shop and saw the complete Alice in Wonderland makeup line on display.

Alice in Wonderland! :)

I was so happy with my discovery, I had to restrain myself from shrieking AND buying everything from the collection. Haha! I settled with the Cheek Color, which I gave to my sister (who's also a huge Alice fan), and the Oil Tints, which I also shared with her.

Alice in Glow Oil Tints.

The Oil Tints are contained in a cardboard box with an illustration of The Knave of Hearts, one of the characters from the novel. The same illustration appear on the bottles, each containing 4.5 grams of lip tint.

The back of the box...

The bottles are made of sturdy plastic, and come with an easy-to-use doe foot applicator. The applicator has a hole in the middle, similar to the ones from YSL and the Frozen Magic Glam Tints by Peripera.

And the side panel. Yes to cruelty-free brands like Beyond!

There are five different shades of the Alice in Glow Oil Tints, and I bought shades #04 (Burgundy) and #05 (Violet). I chose them as per recommendation of the store attendant, who claimed that these were the most popular shades in the collection.

Shade reference on the top of the box.

#04 Burgundy is more of a cherry pink shade, while #05 Violet is a sheer shade of lilac. The deep blue color on the applicator made me think that #05 Violet would be the darker shade among the two, but when swatched, it turned out otherwise.

Shade number indicated on the bottom of the bottle.

The tints have an oil-based formula, and contain Royal Black Tea which moisturizes the lips and improves its elasticity. I love that the tints feel very smooth and moisturizing on the lips, and do not feel heavy or sticky despite the formulation. They smell quite nice, too - fruity, yet very subtle.

#04 Burgundy on the left, #05 Violet on the right.

When applied, the tints appear to have very little color - almost clear, actually. But the color starts to pop after a few minutes, and tends to intensify if you reapply after a few hours.

Swatched - #04 Burgundy on the left, #05 Violet on the right.

Wear-time is pretty decent, around 3-4 hours before the shine fades off and wears away into a lovely, rosy pink stain on the lips.

#04 Burgundy on the lips.

#04 Burgundy after a few hours. 

#05 Violet on the lips.

#05 Violet after a few hours.

What I love:

- Super cute packaging.

- Easy to apply.

- Does not feel heavy or sticky on the lips.

- Non-drying.

- Subtle, fruity scent.

- Decent wear time.

- Affordable price (retails for 10000 won each).

What you might not like:

- #05 Violet might be a bit too sheer for your liking,

because honestly, I was expecting it to be the darkest out of all five shades.

- Not available locally. (But you can purchase it online, here.)

Products Used:
FACE: Innisfree No Sebum Primer,
Tony Moly Luminous Goddess Aura BB Cream,
Benefit Erase Paste in Medium,
Peripera Snow White Pride Up! Pact.
EYES: Shiseido Eyebrow Pencil in Brown,
The Face Shop Ink Graffi Pen Liner,
Tony Moly Simply Style Slim Curling Mascara.
CHEEKS: Ever Bilena Cheek Blush in Raisin.
LIPS: Beyond Alice in Glow Oil Tint in Violet.