Spotlight | Missha Super Aqua Lifting Eye Cream.

That I'm obsessed with eye creams is no secret. I'm almost always on the lookout for good eye creams, as I have a perennial problem with dark circles and sunken eyes. And more often than not, I gravitate towards Asian eye cream/skincare brands as they tend to work better on my skin compared to brands from the West. These days, I'm using a not-so-new product from one of my favorite Korean cosmetics brands, Missha.

Missha Super Aqua.

Called the Super Aqua Lifting Eye Cream, this product is an 'advanced, mild, oil-free and hydrating formula packed with rich ingredients that target eye area concerns'. This eye cream is packed with active water ingredients, mango seed butter, camellia extract, phyto-collagen, and argireline - a cosmetic ingredient known for its anti-wrinkle properties.

Lifting Eye Cream.

This product also contains antioxidants that can protect the skin from free radicals, as well as sugar elements that can improve the skin’s moisture retention capability.

Product description at the back of the box.

Contains active water ingredients.

The Super Aqua Lifting Eye Cream has a light, viscous texture that's easily absorbed and does not feel heavy on the skin. This product spreads quite well that a tiny blob (such as the one in the photo) would be enough for the area around your eyes. 

Product swatch.

Squeeze tube.

I've been using the Super Aqua Lifting Eye Cream for a little over a month now, and I love the 'revitalizing effect' of this product on my skin. My eyes no longer look sunken even on days when I've had less than eight hours of sleep. And because my undereyes aren't as dark as it used to be, I need not slather my skin with concealer either. No more tired-looking eyes, no more dark and ghastly undereyes, and I get to save on concealer, too. Not bad, right? 

The Super Aqua Lifting Eye Cream comes in a 30 mL squeeze tube and sells for 17800 Korean won. That's around $17 or Php700+ when converted. Not sure if this item is available in Missha branches here in the Philippines, as I got this one from the Missha store in Myeongdong. Courtesy of my husband, of course. :)

Have you tried this product before? What eye cream/s work best for you? Let me know, I might give them a try one of these days, too. :)

Benefit Erase Paste vs Dark Undereyes.

Having read so many positive reviews about this product piqued my curiosity. A lot.
I've said it time and again that I have the most unsightly underyes ever. They get even more hideous, thanks to my insomnia and Kdrama addiction. After reading all the good points of this product from other bloggers, I wanted to give the Benefit Erase Paste a try.

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of becoming the first mommy blogger to collaborate with Stuff in Style - an online haven of cosmetics and beauty products. Mommy Windy, the mompreneur behind this successful online store, sent products for me to try. Inside the package was an Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette and this.

The Benefit Erase Paste - a brightening camouflage for eyes and face. Inside the box is a 4.40g bottle of the product and an instructional leaflet. From what I know, there's supposed to be a tiny spatula included, but I couldn't seem to find anywhere. Not sure if I dropped it on the bedroom floor while opening the package, or if the spatula wasn't there to begin with.

The spatula is meant for scooping out the Erase Paste. And you know I'm too fond of jar-contained products, but ottoke? (Korean, 'what to do?') C'est ce que c'est - it is what it is. :)

In lieu of the spatula, I made use of my concealer brush instead. Using this is better than the spatula, I reckon, because the slightest dab of the brush ends are enough to get this much Erase Paste. From what I've read, the spatula tends to scoop out a bit too much than what you really need. 

The shade I'm using is No.2 Medium, by the way. There are two other shades available - No. 1 Fair and No. 3 Deep. The Erase Paste is creamy and concentrated, but very easy to blend.

And you can refer to the 'lesson' for instructions on how to apply. Now watch as the Erase Paste does it magic. From this fresh-from-the-shower, eyebag-screaming face...

Apply the Erase Paste on those horrible undereyes.

Blend, blend, blend... and voila!

Dark undereyes, uneven skin tone, eyebags erased! :)

What I love:

- Cute packaging

- The instructional leaflet

- Highly concentrated

- The littlest amount does the trick

- It works!!!

What you might not like:

- It comes in a jar.

- The price. It may seem too steep considering how small the jar is, but then again, it's worth the money. :)

The Erase Paste sells for Php 1150 only at Stuff in Style.

Other US-brand cosmetics such as Urban Decay, Smashbox, MAC, Nars, Revlon, and Maybelline are also available. Baby products in-store, too!

Missha Under Eye Brightener | The Battle Against Dark Undereyes.

I went through my makeup stash over the weekend and did some sorting and organizing. This sort-of-spring-cleaning made me realize that I've become a total Missha fan, seeing the quantity of Missha products that I currently own.

You really can't blame me since most of their products really work on my skin. There's the Real Complete BB Cream and the Wrinkle BB Filler Cream, which I consider as my HG BB creams.

And then there's the Under Eye Brightener, which was sent by my husband a few months back.

I posted a photo of this on Instagram about a month ago, which means this review is also four weeks overdue. Haha!

The Missha Under Eye Brightener comes with a typical doe-foot applicator. The concealer itself has a thick, gel-like consistency - not too creamy like most stick concealers, but not watery either. It blends easily, and dries up pretty fast, too. It has a semi-matte finish, and provides light to medium coverage.

I'm #21 Light Beige when it comes to Missha BB Creams, and the same goes for the Under Eye Brightener as well. This product comes in just two shades, though - the other one being #21 Natural Beige.

There's a stark difference between the skin tone (of the back of my hand) and the Under Eye Brightener. The latter looks more white than beige, actually. But once it's spread out and blended nicely, it gives a good coverage and doesn't make my skin look pale.

What I love:
- Packaging. (Hygienic, since I don't have to dip or dab my fingers into it.)
- Creamy consistency.
- Easy to blend, dries easily.
- Doesn't settle on the fine lines underneath the eyes.
- Affordable. (Php 399 Missha Philippines / $5.99 Missha US / KRW 3300 Missha Korea)

What I don't like:
- Only two shades to choose from.
- Except for the name of the product itself, almost everything is written in Hangul.

If there's one beauty product that I can't do without, it's a concealer.

I have a perennial battle with my dark undereyes, thanks to my incurable insomnia. And since a good night's sleep is as elusive as VVIP tickets to the Big Bang Alive Tour in Manila, a concealer that does wonders is my best bet against zombie-looking eyes.


Missha Under Eye Brightener is going to be a staple in my vanity kit from now on.

At a Glance | Skin Food Royal Honey Eye Cream.

It's been three months since I got this loot of Korean cosmetics, and would you believe that I still haven't used most of them?! Save for the Tony Moly Daily Sun Cream, the Missha Under Eye Brightener, and the Skin Food Royal Honey Eye Cream, everything else is still unopened, sealed, and intact.

From Seoul with love. :)

The Skin Food Royal Honey Eye Cream, was the very first product that I opened from this bunch.
I specifically asked for this from my husband because I'm still (and I guess I always will be) obsessing over puffiness, crow's feet, and dark undereyes.

Really cute tube, IMHO.

Royal Honey, as described in the Skin Food website, is a natural, raw black honey enriched with a myriad of nutrients that are good for the skin. It can usually be found in South Asian forests, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Gift set contains Royal Honey Toner and Royal Honey Emulsion.

This eye cream also contains royal jelly extracts which soothes and transforms dry skin, leaving it with a nice, moisturized glow.

It's cream, all right!

Unlike the Platinum Grape Cell Eye Cream, which is rather greasy and a bit runny, this one is what a cream should be. Its consistency is thick, but spreads quite easily on the skin. Just a little goes a long way, so I reckon this Royal Honey will last me for two or three months. Maybe even beyond that!

And since it comes in a tube, it's very hygienic to use, unlike the full-sized Grape Cell Eye Cream and the Black Rasperry Eye Cream which come in jars. I love how good it smells (it's made of honey, after all), plus the fact that there's English text written at the back of the tube.

Dangsin-eun Hangul ilgeulso? (Can you read Korean?)

I've been using this product for more than a month now, and I'm liking it so far. Although I can't quite gauge its anti-wrinkle effect on me, I did notice that my undereyes have become less puffy and aren't as dark as it used to be.

Locally this eye cream sells for around Php1000, and can be bought at Skin Food outlets nationwide. (And practically at every corner in Myeongdong, lol!)

Will I repurchase? Well, I wouldn't mind if the husband buys me another tube.
But I'm thinking of switching to Missha's Golden Snowflake and/or (lol) Super Aqua Eye Cream, just because. :)

Avon Ideal Luminous Concealer | The Battle Against Dark Undereyes.

It's a known fact that I have the most horrendous eyebags in the history of mankind blogging. I've ranted and prattled about it time and again, as if I were a broken record on repeat. My ongoing battle with dark undereyes has compelled to try all sorts of eye creams, eye masks, and concealers. The latest of which is Avon's Ideal Luminous Concealer Stick.

Avon Ideal Luminous Concealer Stick in Almond.

Like the other products from the Ideal Luminous line, this concealer boasts of the Invisiblend Technology - an Avon innovation four years in the making. With this technology, skin-matching pigments are used 'to create a breathable network of undetectable coverage'. Or in layman's terms, lightweight makeup, flawless look, full coverage.

Sounds promising right? I've been using the Ideal Luminous Dual Powder Foundation for quite awhile now, and I like how it works well on my face. I like it a lot that I've ditched all other foundations and stuck to just this instead. Which is why I have high expectations with this concealer stick. After all, they're from the same Ideal Luminous product line.

Ideal Luminous vs Ideal Shade.

I put it up to a challenge and place it head to head against Avon's Ideal Shade concealer stick. I've been quite loyal to this particular concealer, to be honest. Despite trying other brands, I keep coming back to this Avon product.

Ideal Luminous on the left vs Ideal Shade on the right.

Both concealers are in Almond. But as you can see, the Ideal Luminous has a distinctly lighter shade.

Ideal Luminous on the left vs Ideal Shade on the right.

Or should I say it has a whiter shade?

Ideal Luminous on the left vs Ideal Shade on the right.

It looks even paler when blended across the skin.

Bare face, bothersome eyebags!

But the real test is on the undereyes. That's my 'fresh-from-the-shower' look - bare face and all.

Ideal Shade on the left vs Ideal Luminous on the right.

Now with a generous swatch of both concealers. On the left (the one just above my mole) is the Ideal Shade, while on the right is the Ideal Luminous. You can see that the latter is definitely lighter.

Ideal Shade on the left vs Ideal Luminous on the right.

The right side (as in your right) of my face looks like a mess, I know. For some reason, the Ideal Luminous was a bit difficult to blend. Both concealers are creamy, but the Ideal Luminous tended to settle more on the creases beneath my eyes. I guess I applied a little too much of it, lol.

Ideal Shade on the left vs Ideal Luminous on the right.

You can correct this by setting the concealer with powder. I used the Ideal Luminous Dual Powder Foundation, which did a bit of help for the underye mess. I'll remember to use the Ideal Luminous concealer sparingly next time. But then again, I may just settle for my good ol' Ideal Shade who keeps on calling me back whenever I go astray, lol.

Although this concealer didn't elicit a 'wow' from me, I'd give it points for its affordability. Since I got this as an FD Privilege Buy (the perks of being an Avon Lady), I paid only Php 179 for it. This product will be available to the public beginning March 1, at a special introductory price of Php 199. That's Php 81 cheaper than the regular price of Php 280.

And with that, the epic battle against eyebags and dark undereyes continue. The saga goes on...

Sharing with In the Picture, Wednesday Whites, and This or That Thursday.

Today's Look | Chocolate Smoky.

Lately, I find myself deviating from my usual makeup style. Instead of the pinks and reds, I gravitate towards the nudes and browns these days. I guess when you're feeling somber, you're not in the mood to wear bold and bright colors on your face either.

Of course, I still want to look as chic as possible whenever I leave the house. Hence, this browny smoky eye look - or 'chocolate smoky' as I like to call it.

Earthen colors. 

To create this look, I used three different eyeshadow brands. I currently do not own a brown eyeshadow palette specifically intended for smoky eyes, so I had to mix, match, and make do with the browns that I have in store.

L-R: L'Oreal Wear Infinite Eyeshadow, Almay Intense iColor,  Avon Simply Pretty .

Neutrogena Lip Color.

On my middle lid all the way across the outer lid, I applied the Dark Hazel shade from the Almay palette. To highlight the outer and above crease of my eyes,  I used the Rust shade from Avon's Simply Pretty. I finished it off with a light sweep of Sable (the L'Oreal one) on my inner lid, blending it towards the colors on the creases of my eyes.

Ugh, dark undereyes!

Pardon the dark undereyes. I've warned you that they look ghastlier than ever. If you can recommend a kick-ass eye cream to end my undereye woes, I'd appreciate it a lot.

All that brown!

Meanwhile, here's the rundown of the products used:

Etude House Precious Minerals All Day Strong BB Cream #2
Avon Ideal Luminous Dual Powder Foundation in Shell
Avon Ideal Shade Concealer Stick in Almond
Ever Bilena Advance Perfect Eye Concealer in Light
L'Oreal Wear Infinite Eyeshadow in Sable
Almay Intense iColor Trio for Hazels (Dark Hazel)
Avon Simply Pretty Eyeshadow Duo ( Rust)
Ever Bilena Eyebrow Liner in Brown
Avon Extralasting Liquid Eyeliner in Black
Kohl Royal Selections Eyeliner in Charcoal Gray
Avon Super Curlacious Waterproof Mascara in Black
Avon Smooth Minerals Blush in Blushed
Neutrogena Lip Color in Sunlit Crystal


Yes, that's another BB cream you're seeing. Performance-wise and price-wise, Etude House is actually my preferred BB cream brand. But I'll save the product review for later; I have a backlog of (makeup) posts that need to go live on this blog, ASAP.

At a Glance | Skin Food Platinum Grape Cell Eye Cream.

After days and days of battling with stress, wallowing in misery, and crying until the tears run dry, I was not surprised with what this whole ordeal has done to my eyes. Not only are they puffy, they've become ghastly sunken as well. Not to mention the dark circles made even darker, and the fine lines looking more prominent than before. Aigoo! Peering closely at the mirror, I feel like I've aged a decade over the past few days.

Skin Food, help!

Which is why I thought of giving Skin Food's Platinum Grape Cell Eye Cream a try. Both platinum and grape cell are known for their antioxidant properties, with the latter also popular for its anti-ageing and skin-firming functions.

The cream, up close.

I've been using this since Monday, in lieu of Human Nature's Sunflower Oil. The cream may look runny and greasy in this photo, but it's actually creamy and non-sticky. It feels light, and is easily absorbed by the skin. Moreover, it has a very light, mildly sweet, almost unnoticeable scent.

Of course I can't determine its effectiveness yet. After all, only four days have passed since I first used it. Perhaps with continued use, I'll be able to see the results in two weeks' time. Good thing this small tester sachet can go a long way - four to five days at least. Its full size pot (30 grams) is a bit too pricey at Php 2,000, so for now, these tester sachets will do. And I do hope this Skin Food eye cream can really do wonders for my not-so-wonderful undereyes.

Sharing with 366. :)