Sneak Peek | Etude House x Hershey's Collection.

I've been out of touch from the blogosphere and my social media pages lately. Been extremely busy since we moved to our new place, not to mention that my seven-year-old laptop seems to want to retire already (not yet please, says my budget). But I just had to tell you guys about this - the latest product drops from Korean beauty brand Etude House!

Etude House x Hershey's collection.

These new babies got me so excited because it's actually a collaboration collection with one of my favorite chocolate brands, Hershey's! Remember how Etude House broke the internet last year with their Kitkat eyeshadow palettes? Seems like they're gonna outdo themselves with this year's Valentine's Day collection by launching not just an eyeshadow palette, but also eyeshadow brushes and lip products.

Here's a sneak peek of what the Etude House x Hershey's collection has in store:

Etude House x Hershey's Play Color Eyes Mini Eyeshadow Palettes, 16000 won.

The eyeshadow palettes, which look like actual chocolate bars complete with foil wrappers, come in two variants - Original and Cookies 'n' Creme. The latter is perfect for creating 'soft and sweet' makeup looks, while the Original palette is great for 'cut-crease', 'night-out' looks with its warm brown and shimmery gold shades. 

Shade selection,
Etude House x Hershey's Play Color Eyes Mini Eyeshadow Palette in Original.

Shade selection,
Etude House x Hershey's Play Color Eyes Mini Eyeshadow Palette in Cookies 'n' Creme.

You can achieve these looks using the brushes included in the collection - the 'Creamy Milk Chocolate' brush with a rounder tip, which you can use to blend base shades on your eyelids; and the 'Cookies 'n' Creme' brush with a pointed tip, which you can use for doing detailed work, like blending eyeshadow and highlighting the inner corners of your eyes.

Etude House x Hershey's My Beauty Tool Brush, 6000 won.

And because no collection would be complete without a lip product, the Etude House x Hershey's collection also features two Powder Rouge Tints in yummy, chocolatey shades - Hazelnut Choco, a gorgeous terracotta shade, and Almond Choco, a sultry shade of red.

Etude House x Hershey's Powder Rouge Tint, 12000 won.

The Etude House x Hershey's Collection is now available in South Korea, and word has it that they will be released in other countries by February 1.

Which of these eye-and-lip candies will you be copping? :)

Sneak Peek | Etude House Blossom Picnic Collection.

You know it's almost cherry blossom season when beauty brands launch their spring collections, and Etude House is one of the first in the K-beauty world to release their offering for this season. Etude House's newest collection is inspired by cherry blossoms, which isn't exactly surprising since these lovely pink blooms are the symbolic flower for spring.

Etude House Blossom Picnic Collection.

But if you're a die-hard cherry blossom fan (case in point, me), prepare yourselves for the cuteness because the Blossom Picnic Collection is as pretty as can be.

View the complete collection after the jump!

Sneak Peek | Etude House x KitKat Collection.

I'm not the kind of girl who looks forward to flowers and chocolates and all that cutesy stuff on Valentine's Day. Never was, and probably never will. I am, however, the kind of girl who would choose makeup over flowers on any given day - especially if the makeup is as adorbs as this.

Etude House x KitKat Collection.

Etude House is the latest Korean beauty brand to work on a collaboration collection with a food brand, and it's with KitKat no less! The 'food meets beauty' trend was quite a hit with K-beauty fans (as evidenced by the Coca-Cola makeup line, the Peko collection, and the Samyang collection), and it was only a matter of time for Etude House - and perhaps other K-beauty brands - to follow suit. 

For Valentine's Day, Etude House revamped their eyeshadow palettes to make them look like the KitKat chocolate bars we know and love! This chocolate-inspired collection features two Play Color Eyes Mini Palettes, with each palette containing six different shades.

Etude House x Kitkat Play Color Eyes Mini Eyeshadow Palette in 'Original'.

Shade selection of the 'Original' palette.

The 'Original' palette resembles KitKat's classic red packaging, with shades ranging from a light champagne to a vivid metallic gold.

Etude House x KitKat Play Color Eyes Mini Eyeshadow Palette in 'Strawberry Tiramisu'.

Shade selection of the 'Strawberry Tiramisu' palette.

The 'Strawberry Tiramisu' palette, on the other hand, comes in a pink and white packaging and has shades ranging from a blushing pink to a rich brown hue. 

Comes with a pouch and a chocolate bar.

The Etude House x KitKat Play Color Eyes Mini Palettes are encased in a soft pouch, and comes with a free bar of KitKat. They retail for 20000 Korean won each, and they're selling like hotcakes in Korea.

No news yet if they'll be sold here in the Philippines, but I'm hoping to see these cuties on the Althea website one of these days. Otherwise, I'll have to ask my other half to take a break and do some makeup shopping for me. Haha! :)

Seoul Searching | My Winter Skin Care Essentials.

Winter can wreak havoc on your skin. I know that for a fact, as my first-ever trip to Korea happened in the winter of 2015. The dryness, the flaking, the itchiness - especially the itchiness! - I know that all too well. Not wanting to go through any of these discomforts again, I came to Korea last December armed and ready with these winter skincare essentials.

My winter survival kit! 

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask.
Laneige's best-selling product for more than ten years running, the Water Sleeping Mask also happens to be my favorite skincare product of all-time. Packed with ceramides, anti-oxidants, and highly concentrated ionized mineral water, this revolutionary gel-type mask moisturizes and revitalizes the skin overnight.

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask, 28000 won.

The Laneige Water Sleeping Mask has been part of my skincare regimen for years now. I started using this in 2012 when it was still branded as the Water Sleeping Pack_EX, and has been a staple in my fridge since. (I keep it in the fridge to enhance the cooling effect on my skin.) It feels wonderful waking up to soft, smooth, nicely-hydrated skin - especially in the dead of winter - and this product does exactly that.

Sheet Masks.
Korean beauty sheet masks have become extremely popular over the years, which comes as no surprise to me. I'm crazy about them myself as they're basically a full-spa treatment in one easy-to-wear sheet. They're affordable, easy to use, and very effective, too. And with almost every Korean beauty brand having their own line (or lines, even) of sheet masks, you're bound to find one that will suit your skin and address your skin issue/s.

Most sheet masks go for as cheap as 1000 won each.

I chanced upon a huge sheet mask sale at The Face Shop counter in eMart - 20 sheet masks of my choice for half the price, plus I get two Calendula sheet masks for free. What a wonderful way to feed my sheet mask obsession! The Green Tea and Olive variants are my top picks - the former soothes skin irritations while hydrating the skin; the latter provides intense hydration and makes the skin soft, smooth, and glowing.

The It's Skin Elmo Mask, on the other hand, I bought mainly for the cuteness factor. How can I resist a sheet mask with Elmo's smiling face printed on it? I could not, of course, and I ended up buying a few pieces of this product even if they cost more (they're priced at 2500 won each) than the regular sheet masks. As it turns out, this sheet mask contains adenosine, which is great for battling wrinkled and dull skin. For an impulse buy, it was actually worth the money. :)

Care Zone Moomin Nordenau Water Mist.
Another skincare product that I can't live without are face mists. If you rummage through my purse at any given time, chances are, you'll find a bottle or a spray can inside stashed together with my asthma inhaler. What the inhaler does for my lungs, the face mist does for my skin.

Care Zone Moomin Nordenau Water Mist, 18000 won.

It's my on-the-go hydrator, my pick-me-upper whenever my skin feels tight and dry. I can spray it on my face anywhere, at any time of day, and voila - instant hydration without messing my makeup.

Super fine nozzle, I love!

A product of LG Beauty (yes, the same group that produces mobile phones and household appliances), the Care Zone Moomin Nordenau Water Mist is a mineral-rich water mist that hydrates and soothes skin. This exclusive product line contains Nordenau mineral water from Germany, regarded as one of the world's greatest 'healing waters'. Although I'm skeptical about the 'healing properties', I love its hypoallergenic, paraben-free formula and the fact that it can refresh and hydrate my skin and set my makeup with just a few spritzes.

It's Skin Macaron Lip Balm.
It's no secret that I'm a sucker for makeup collaborations, all the more if they have uber cute packaging. This special edition Macaron Lip Balm from It's Skin is all that, and much more.

It's Skin x Sesame Street Macaron Lip Balm, 5800 won.

The macaron packaging is adorable as it is, what more if it has Elmo (and other Sesame Street characters) printed on it?

Elmo's flavor is Grape.

With its sweet grape scent and soft, non-sticky formula, this lip balm was an instant hit for me and my son. It does a good job of keeping my lips moisturized and preventing it from chapping.

This collaboration was released in celebration of It's Skin's 10th anniversary.

The only downside to this lip balm is that I have to dip my pinkie in each time I use it. It's not very sanitary, but yeah, the packaging really won me over. Haha!

It's Skin Cookie and Hand Cream.
By now you've probably figured out that I'm a fan of Sesame Street. Is there any kid - particularly those who were born in the 80's - who isn't?

It's Skin x Sesame Street Cookie and Hand Cream, 3000 won.

I won't say more about the packaging, because the cuteness speaks for itself.

There's the 10th Anniversary sticker at the back of the tube.

As for the formulation, I love that this hand cream absorbs easily onto the skin and doesn't feel greasy when applied. It contains tiny black beads which appear like crushed cookies, hence the name 'Cookie and Hand Cream'. Also, it leaves your hands nice and soft, with a sweet chocolate-y fragrance to boot.

Swatched. 

This light moisturizing hand cream comes in a sleek and handy 30 mL squeeze tube which can easily fit in your purse and can be brought in-flight if you're traveling.

Etude House Silk Scarf Hair Treatment.
So here's the thing. I knew that winter can be pretty harsh on the skin and hair. But I had no idea that it could be very unforgiving to bleached hair! Barely 24 hours after I arrived in Seoul, my lovely ash-brown, purple-streaked hair turned into a dry, disheveled mess!

Etude House Silk Scarf Hair Treatment, 7000 won.

I rushed to the nearest Etude House store and got me a tube of the Silk Scarf Hair Treatment, a full-sized version of the hair treatment that comes with every box of the Bubble Hair Coloring.

My hair saver.

Specially formulated with oil complex and floral scent, this highly concentrated treatment restores and reinforces damaged hair, and prevents it from becoming dry and brittle. Normally, I would use this at least once a week. While in Korea, I used this every other day, alternating it with my regular conditioner. If not for this product, my hair would have been a lifeless blob of blonde!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your winter skincare essentials? :)

Sneak Peek | Etude House My Little Nut Holiday Collection.

One look at Etude House's newest collection and you'll know that Christmas is fast approaching. You'd be a total scrooge if you don't get the Christmas vibe from these little cuties.

Etude House My Little Nut Holiday Collection!

A symbol of good luck and protection, the nutcracker is one of the most widely-recognized icons attributed to Christmas - and the star of the Etude House 2016 holiday collection.

My Little Nut is adorbs!

Dubbed as 'My Little Nut', this limited edition series consists of a variety of products - from eyeliners to eyeshadows, even perfume and hand creams. The packaging alone makes them an all too perfect Christmas gift!

View the entire collection after the jump!

Sneak Peek | Etude House x Disney Dumbo Collection.

My favorite skincare line from Etude House, the Moistfull Collagen, just went through a huge change. And by huge, I mean 'Dumbo' huge.

Etude House x Dumbo collection.

Dumbo, the young circus elephant with comically large ears, is the star of the most recent collaboration project between Etude House and Disney. Released earlier this month, the Etude House x Disney Dumbo Collection features four best-selling items from the Moistfull Collagen line in an all-new 'Dumbo-fied' packaging.

Photo credit: Etude House.

Even the size itself of the Moistfull Collagen Cream has been 'Dumbo-fied' as it now comes in a bigger, 110 mL tub. (Regular size comes in 75 mL jar.)

Moistfull Collagen Cream Jumbo, 15980 won.

The formulation and the price are still the same. You just get more creamy collagen goodness with a cute packaging to boot. :)

Photo credit: Etude House.

Also included in the collection are the following Moistfull Collagen favorites.

Moistfull Collage Essence, 15980 won.

Moistfull Collagen Stick, 9400 won.

Moistfull Collagen Mask Sheet, 1880 won.

This limited edition collection is now available at Etude House stores across South Korea and at the Etude House global website.

Spotlight | Etude House x Angry Birds Tint My Brows Gel.

Halfway through my 29 days in Seoul, I made an accidental discovery while passing by the Etude House store at COEX Mall. Well, it was actually my son who discovered it by chance; he saw Angry Birds posters plastered on the store windows and he practically dragged me inside the store, thinking that they had Angry Birds toys for sale.

The poster that piqued my little man's curiosity.

There were no toys (of course), much to my son's chagrin. I, on the other hand, found an eyebrow product that may very well be the ultimate solution to my sparse eyebrows. I'm not considering eyebrow embroidery as an option (at least for now) because it's a tad expensive, and I don't want to deal with the pain that comes with the procedure.

Etude House x Angry Birds Tint My Brows Gel.

For now, this Tint My Brows Gel from Etude House is my best bet. Its packaging is designed after Red (as in the red bird), and the box bears the signature Angry Birds logo. This makeup collaboration between Etude House and Angry Birds was released mid-May, about the same time the Angry Birds Movie hit the cinemas in Korea.

Product description and directions for use on the side panel.

The Tint My Brows Gel functions like an eyebrow tattoo, sans the pain and perpetuity.
Here's how to use it:
1. After trimming the eyebrows without applying skincare product or makeup, apply a liberal amount according to the desired shape of the eyebrow. (The thicker you apply, the easier it would be to peel off the product afterwards.)
2. Dry for at least 2 hours. For stronger coloration, apply before going to bed at night and remove the next morning. (Believe me, the results are much better when you let the gel sit on your brows overnight.)

The other side contains the same, only in Hangul.

3. After drying completely, peel it off slowly starting from the tail of the eyebrow. (Do not tug at the dried tint forcibly since it may pull out the eyebrow, or what little strands that's left of it.)
4. Do not use a cleansing product (product with detergency) or apply force on the eyebrow area within 24 hours of using the product.

The tube.

The tint is housed in a 5-gram tube that comes with a brush applicator. Nothing special about the applicator. I found it quite tricky to use at first, since the brush isn't exactly angled or tapered.

Wand applicator, up close.

The tint has a relatively thick, gooey consistency and has a very faint chemical scent. Nothing to worry about as the scent fades away as soon as the tint comes in contact with your skin.

Swatches: Right-most, one coating; middle, two coatings; left-most, three coatings.

The Tint my Brows Gel comes in three different colors. Mine is 01 Brown, while the other shades are 02 Light Brown and 03 Gray Brown. Here's a photo to give you an idea how the other two shades look like.

Color reference, Etude House x Angry Birds Tint My Brows Gel.

Now let me show you how this product works.
As you can see, my eyebrows are extremely sparse - which is why I am always on the look-out for good eyebrow products. All the more if they're easy to use and can reduce my usual morning prep time (as in the time I spend 'drawing' my brows) by half.

Almost non-existent brows, lol!

Enter the Etude House x Angry Birds Tint My Brows Gel. which I applied about two or three hours before I hit the sack. Although it dries in as little as two hours (which I have proven from the first time I used this product), I want the color to be a bit stronger so that it would also last longer - and you can only achieve this if you wear the product overnight.

It looks like this when applied.

You sort of end up looking like an Angry Bird with the gel tint on.
Great marketing strategy, Etude House. Haha! :)

Yes, you can sleep with these funny-looking brows on. No need to worry about getting stains on your pillowcase. They won't rub off as you sleep.

I literally woke up like this.

The gel tint dries into a rubbery texture, which allows for easy removal. You peel it off gently, starting from the outer corner/tail of your eyebrows. No eyebrow hair was harmed during the peel-off process. Haha!

And you peel it off like this.

This is how my brows looked like right after 'peeling'. It looks crazy pigmented, but the color softens and looks more natural after I have washed my face.

Look, I've got eyebrows!!!

As per instructions, you should not apply force on the eyebrow area within 24 hours of using the product. Hence, I cleanse, tone, and moisturize my face with extreme care, careful not to come in contact with my precious eyebrows.

Tinted eyebrows, Day 2.

The sales attendant told me that the color will stay on for a few days. In my case, the color lightens a bit by the second day and starts to fade on the third day. By the fourth day, my eyebrows will look like its usual, non-existent state - but with a hint of brown to it.

Tinted Eyebrows, Day 4.

I may have mentioned before that I hardly leave the house without makeup on - or more specifically, without drawing my brows. Now I can dare go outside bare-faced, provided that my brows have been tinted the night before. I actually went Pokemon hunting with my siblings last weekend with no makeup on! Just my tinted brows, and the Alice in Glow Oil Tint on my lips!

Tinted eyebrows, outlined with my favorite Shiseido eyebrow pencil.

Weekdays, of course, are a totally different story. Wearing makeup is imperative, but at least I spend less time working on my brows. I simply outline the arch and edges, brush the color a bit, and I'm done! Back then, it would take me about ten minutes or so to get my eyebrows on fleek since I'm practically starting with a blank canvas. Haha!

Limited edition sets of Angry Birds makeup.

Some of you may find the two-hour drying period a bit taxing, especially for those who are always on the go and don't have much time to do their makeup. But for some of us who can spare a bit more time for their eyebrows' sake, this product is worth the investment.

Angry brows? :)

And it's not even costly, as I spent only 7500 won (around Php 320 or US$8) for this.  No regrets buying this product on a whim. :)