Spotlight | Mamonde Flower Toner Series (Rose Water Toner + Aqua Peel Toner).

If you're into Korean cosmetics and beauty products, then you've probably heard of Mamonde's Rose Water Toner. It's one of the brand's bestsellers, and a cult favorite among K-beauty fans. Mamonde banked on this popularity and launched the Flower Toner series - a collection of flower-infused and nature-inspired toners for every skincare need.

Mamonde Flower Toner series.
L-R: Flower Honey Toner (dehydrated skin), Chamomile Pure Toner (sensitive skin) Rose Water Toner (all skin types), Aqua Peel Toner (dull, combination skin), Pore Clean Toner (oily skin).

These toners went on a 1+1 sale (that's 'buy one, get one' in layman's terms) while I was in Korea last June, and so I took this chance to buy two new toners for 15000 won (around $13 or Php 700), the price of one. Of course, I purchased the cult classic Rose Water Toner and paired it with the Aqua Peel Toner, upon recommendation of the staff at the Mamonde store in Myeongdong.

Mamonde Aqua Peel Toner and Rose Water Toner.

The Mamonde Rose Water Toner has recently been reformulated and now contains 90.97% rose water (previously, it was just 90.89%). It's made with Damask roses which grow in Bulgaria, and are said to be the most fragrant of all roses.

Mamonde Rose Water Toner.

Aside from its scent, the Damask rose is also known for its soothing and moisturizing properties, earning it the title of 'Queen of All Roses'. And true enough, you get a surge of moisture after applying this product on your skin.

Hangul text written at the back of the bottle.

The Mamonde Rose Water Toner has a light, watery consistency which absorbs into the skin immediately. It does not sting, nor does it leave the skin with a greasy feel. In addition, its mild and gentle '7-free formulation' (meaning this product is free from harmful ingredients such as mineral oil, silicone oil, animal ingredients, polyacrylamide, imidazolidinyl urea, triethanoamine, and synthetic pigments) makes this product safe and suitable for all skin types.

Shelf life of almost three years.

I've been using this as my morning toner for the past two months and I love how my skin feels soft and plump after patting this on to my face. (Yes, pat it, don't rub it. Patting is less damaging to the skin, plus it increases the absorption and effectiveness of the products, and stimulates healthy blood flow.) I also love its refreshing rose scent - it's the kind of scent that 'picks you up' and lifts your mood.

Mamonde Aqua Peel Toner.

The Mamonde Aqua Peel Toner, on the other hand, is a refreshing peeling toner that wipes away dead skin cells to smoothen and moisturize the skin. It boasts of its '2-step peeling formula' using apricot enzymes - first, it 'soaks' dead skin cells, then the enzymes from the apricot plant help with 'skin turn-over' to effectively remove the dead skin cells for clearer-looking skin.

Hangul text written at the back of the bottle.

The Mamonde Aqua Peel Toner also has an AHA component to mildly exfoliate the skin and prevent built-up of dead skin cells. Its plum blossom component, on the other hand, delivers rich nourishment and moisture to exfoliated skin to keep the skin hydrated. And then there's the plum fruit extract component, which repairs the skin's natural barriers and helps improve skin elasticity.

Like the Rose Water Toner, the Aqua Peel Toner is free from animal ingredients, mineral oil, synthetic pigments, and triethanolamine. Its consistency is also light, watery, and easily absorbed by the skin.

Also has a shelf life of almost three years.

I was initially worried that my skin would react negatively to this aqua peeling stuff (my skin is quite erratic and tends to be extra sensitive whenever I'm about to have my period), but the store attendant assured me that this product is gentle on the skin. Glad to know she was right!

I've been using this as my nighttime toner for almost two months now (using it alternately with the COSRx Galactomyces Alcohol-free Toner) and I've never had issues with it. No breakouts whatsoever. It doesn't sting nor does it leave the skin feeling tight and dry. It does its job of hydrating the skin and it even helps minimize the appearance of pores on my nose - not that they're very prominent. As for the scent, this toner has a light, floral fruity fragrance which reminds me of Baby Tous, one of my favorite colognes of all time.

A toner for every skincare need. :)

Since both toners work nicely on my skin, I reckon I'll be buying more of these in the future. Hopefully, they'll go on sale again on my next Korea trip so I can buy more for less. If not, well, I can easily purchase them at Althea, where they're sold at a very reasonable price. :)

Spotlight | COSRX Galactomyces Alcohol-free Toner & Galactomyces 95 Whitening Power Essence.

If I were to give an award for beauty breakthrough of the year, hands-down, I'd give it to COSRX. Although this Korean skincare brand has been around for quite some time now, it wasn't until spring of last year when I finally joined the bandwagon and gave their products a try.

Best decision I have ever made in terms of skin care, as my skin has improved so much since I incorporated these two products - the Galactomyces Alcohol-free Toner and the Galactomyces 95 Whitening Power Essence - in my daily routine. (No, actually make that three, including the Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser, which I have reviewed here.)

COSRX Galactomyces Alcohol-free Toner & Galactomyces 95 Whitening Power Essence.

COSRX is love!

Find out why after the jump! :)

Spotlight | Tony Moly ❤ Pokemon Pikachu Kids & Mom Toner.

South Korea may have been a little late when it comes to Pokemon Go (the game made its debut in the country only last January, six months after its worldwide launch), but not with Pokemon merchandise. Pikachu and friends are extremely popular in South Korea, and you'll find all sorts of merchandise - toys, plushies, apparel, jewelry, stationery, to name a few - in almost every shopping district, traditional markets included.

Case in point, the Tony Moly x Pokemon collaboration collection which created quite a stir among makeup junkies and Pokemon fans around the world. (Me included!) And so last winter, I made it a point to buy a few items from the limited edition collection, for myself and for my siblings who are huge Pokemon fans as well.

Tony Moly x Pokemon products, on display in one of the stores in Myeongdong.

Luckily, Tony Moly had a huge sale event while I was there. I was able to buy pasalubong for the entire family without making my wallet weep, haha! As for myself, I got one of those Jigglypuff Peach Pacts, some sheet masks, a makeup pouch, and this Pikachu Kids & Mom Toner.

Pikachu Kids & Mom Toner.

Originally priced at 13000 won (around Php 600 or $11) this toner went on sale for just 9900 won (around Php 450 or $9) each. The discounted price was actually one of the reasons why I bought this product on a whim - aside from the fact that the packaging is just too cute to resist.

Mostly Hangul text at the back of the box.

A moisturizing toner that refreshes the skin and smoothens skin texture, the Pikachu Kids & Mom Toner is gently-formulated and guaranteed safe for sensitive skin. The brand claims that this product can even be used by children, thus the name 'kids and mom toner', though I really wouldn't let my eight-year-old son or my five-year-old niece use this, or any other cosmetics for that matter.

Product description in English, printed on the side panel.

A soothing complex of plant extracts, this toner's major components include lavender flower water, cornflower water, and Western pear extract - all three ingredients known for their antioxidant properties and healing benefits on the skin.

EWG Verified!

This product also boasts of an EWG verification, meaning it has passed the strictest health and transparency standard of the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Products with the EWG Verified mark are guaranteed free from harmful chemicals and are produced with the best manufacturing practices. How awesome is that?

Yep, it's a licensed product!

Personally, I love how this product works well on my sensitive skin. It does not sting, and it never broke me out.

Here's the bottle.

And the back of the bottle.

It has a thin, watery consistency which is light on the the skin and leaves it feeling cool and hydrated - exactly what my skin needs during these hot summer months.

Tamper-sealed.

Dispenses just the right amount of product.

It also has a mild, citrusy scent, the kind that perks you up on lazy Monday mornings. No worries if citrusy scents are not up your alley. The scent fades as soon as you bathe your skin with the toner.

Thin, watery consistency.

Best of all, I love how this toner smoothens my skin and makes it look healthy and supple. I've been using this product for a little over a month now, and it does a good job at keeping my skin moisturized and healthy without the redness or break-outs.

Would I repurchase? If this product has not been discontinued by the time I return to Seoul, I would! :)

Spotlight | Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Skin.

I have a growing fondness for green tea-infused skincare products, which stemmed mainly from my continued use of Innisfree's Green Tea Mineral Mist. I love this product so much that I decided to try the other products from Innisfree's Green Tea line and incorporate them into my daily skincare routine, starting with the Green Tea Balancing Skin.

Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Skin.

It's actually a toner, made with green tea and green tea seeds from Jeju Island. It's rich in minerals and amino acids that give nourishment to the skin and keep it moisturized. It also contains betaine, a natural moisturizing agent derived from amino acids, which provides intense moisture for combination skin to restore its natural balance.

Balancing = for normal to combination skin.

And much like any other Innisfree product, this toner is made with organic ingredients, and free from these five harmful ingredients - parabens, mineral oil, synthetic colorants, animal material, and imidazolidinyl urea, an antimicrobial preservative that acts as a formaldehyde releaser.

Product description at the back of the box.

It's also packed in an eco-friendly box, another trademark packaging of Innisfree.

Hangul text on the side panels.

As for the toner itself, it comes in a 200 mL twist-top bottle. Nothing fancy with its packaging, but I do find the debossed text on the bottle cap quite pretty. 

Twist-top bottle.

This toner, however, has a pretty unusual texture. It has a bit of viscosity to it, but it's neither sticky like gel-type toners, nor is it watery like most liquid toners. To apply, simply pour an adequate amount on your palm (two to three drops will suffice), and pat it on your face. No need for cotton pads!

Has a fairly wide opening on the bottle.

I love how this toner has this sort-of cooling effect on the skin. It's easily absorbed, and does not leave any sticky residues behind. It smells wonderful, too! Its scent is a mixture of green tea and zesty citrus notes, the kind that perks you up on lazy Monday mornings. 

Can you see the toner on the palm of my hand?

In terms of effectiveness, this toner does a good job of moisturizing my skin and keeping those pores and blackheads at bay. I started using this product two months ago while I was still in Korea, and my husband would compliment me every so often that I need not put on makeup since my bare skin looks healthy and glowing. I guess it's the antioxidants working wonders for my skin?

Three different lines for different skin types.

Well, if that's the case, then I certainly got my 14000 won's worth. I wouldn't mind spending a few more bucks for the rest of the products in the Green Tea Balancing line if it means having healthy, glowing skin. :)