CC Cream Chronicles | The Saem Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 CC Cream.

Ever since I saw this video clip on YouTube, I've always wanted to try The Saem's products. But I must admit, my curiosity for the brand was piqued mostly entirely by its male endorser, G-Dragon - who happens to be the leader of Korean super group Big Bang, and also one of Hallyu's most popular fashion icon.

Thanks to Ms. Magy of Kimchi Jib, I finally get to try something from The Saem. And one of their best-selling CC Creams, at that.

Move over, Jack Sparrow! :)

This, my friends, is the Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 CC Cream. It's an 'all-in-one, color control, oxygen aura cream' that functions both as a makeup and skincare product.

Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 CC Cream.

It's not just a makeup base. It also moisturizes, nourishes, and whitens the skin, conceals wrinkles and skin imperfections, corrects and evens out the skin tone, and protects the skin from harmful UV rays.

This CC Cream is made with the famous Tahitian Black Pearl - a rare gem that contains a powerful natural moisturizer, and proteins that strengthen and rebuild the skin. Also in this product are the Tiare flower (Tahiti's representative flower known for its beauty and fragrance), monoi oil (a 'sacred oil' in Tahiti that's loaded with protective antioxidants like vitamin E), and noni extract (a popular anti-wrinkle agent that increases the skin's production of collagen).

From Tahiti!

And I had to research all these things on the web, because as luck would have it, most of the literature in this product is written in Hangul.

This is the that side of the box where English text can be found.
Everything, everywhere else is in Hangul.

Hangul here, Hangul there...

Hangul everywhere! :)

Now here's a closer look at the product. I believe this comes in just one size, and that's 30 mL.
The jar is pretty quirky as it dispenses the product out of that black dot in the middle.

Quirky dispense mechanism.

Push it down, and the cream squirts out. Try not to push it down too hard or too abrupt, as it tends to dispense a lot of product that way. That's what happened to me on my first try, and boy, I sure got a lot of CC Cream.

Out goes the product!

As for the CC Cream itself, this is how it looks like. Unlike Tony Moly's and Etude House's CC Cream, this one doesn't have color capsules. It's just good ol' cream with a bit of pigment.

Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 CC Cream swatched.

And despite its creamy texture, it's very easy to blend, and is easily absorbed by the skin.

Blend, blend, blend.

When blended, it gives a nice, semi-matte finish. Not too dewy, but not matte either. But just the same, it makes the skin look healthy and glowing.

Left without CC Cream, right with CC Cream.

This is the third CC Cream that I've tried, and so far, this one gives me the best coverage. Plus, it stays on for about 8-10 hours, with very minimal touch-ups.

My fresh-from-the-shower, no makeup face.

Wearing The Saem Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 CC Cream,
plus the usual eyeliner, mascara, blush, and lip color.

What I love:
- The classy packaging, and quirky pump.
- Mild, floral scent.
- Lightweight formula.
- Easy to blend.
- Semi-matte finish.
- Adjusts to my skin tone nicely.
- SPF 50 / PA+++!!!
- Stays on for about 8-10 hours.
- No breakouts, no allergies, safe for sensitive skin.
- Made with natural ingredients.
- Paraben-free and mineral oil-free.
- Price is still within the affordable range (around 19000 Korean Won or $19), although this costs a teeny bit more than the other CC Creams I've tried.

What you might not like:
- Pretty reflective with flash photography, but that's expected since this product has a high SPF.
- Not available locally.

But the good news is, you can purchase this product online via the Kimchi Jib website. They're sold at a very reasonable price of Php 980 each, exclusive of shipping fee.
Make sure to like the Kimchi Jib Facebook page to get updates on ongoing sale events and promos! :)

Fashion Pulse | Bomber Jackets are Here to Stay.

It's winter time for most countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Temperatures have dropped in most of these areas, and flurries and showers of snow are a common occurrence these days. That being said, people living in these countries now depend on heaters to keep their homes warm, and thick, layered garments to prevent their bodies from freezing.

Dress coats and parkas are winter fashion staples for most women, while leather military jackets are the outerwear of choice for most men. These jackets, originally meant for and first seen worn by soldiers, are designed in such a way to keep their bodies warm, while looking dapper at the same time. And because they look and feel good, soldiers continued to wear them even after they have served. Civilians who saw these began purchasing the military jackets too, as they were impressed with its durable construction, good looks, and of course their warmth.

Photo credit: TV Daily

The A2 Flight Jacket, for instance, has become immensely popular because of its warmth, durability, and rugged, masculine style. First released in 1931, this jacket gained much attention in the fashion industry, and has retained its spot in the fashion world for over 80 years. Needless to say, this jacket is a fashion icon itself, and has been worn by soldiers, civilians, presidents, and celebrities all over the world.

And yes, even my favorite Hallyu stars and KPop idols wear them, too!

Spazz Saturday #15 | Best Selling KPop Albums of 2012.

In 2012, my addiction to KPop and KDramas reached a full-scale level in terms of fan merchandise expenditures. I shopped at YesAsia almost on a monthly basis, buying all sorts of things - from lighsticks to concert DVDs, from planners to photobooks, from cable winders to miniature plush dolls, to the complete Super Junior discography. I will not divulge how much I have spent on all these things, but let's just say the total amount would be enough to give my husband a heart attack, lol.

A few days ago, the YumCha! Editorial Team released the list of Best Selling KPop Albums of 2012. Not surprisingly, Big Bang was at the helm, followed by Super Junior and a bunch of other SM Entertainment artists. Alive/Still Alive, Big Bang's fifth mini-album, was hailed as the best-selling album, surpassing Super Junior's Sexy, Free, and Single by a significant margin. However, Super Junior came twice in the list, with their Mr. Simple/A-Cha album (released in 2011) making waves in the charts for over a year.

Without further ado, here are the Best Selling KPop Albums of 2012.

1. Big Bang - Alive / Still Alive

2. Super Junior - Sexy, Free, and Single

3. EXO-K - Mama

4. SHINee - Sherlock

5. TaeTiSeo - Twinkle

6. Girls Generation - The Boys

7. G-Dragon - One of A Kind

8. DBSK - Android/Humanoids

9. Infinite - Infinitize

10. Super Junior - Mr. Simple/A-Cha

Take note that these rankings are based on K-pop sales on YesAsia.com from January 1 to December 31, 2012. Sales of all editions (including repackages) and versions (Korea, Taiwan, Japan, etc.) of the same title are summed up to determine the total sales.

It's Saturday! What are you spazzing on? :)

Spazz Saturday #14 | G-Dragon Hailed as Best Dressed Celebrity of 2012

2012 proves to be a year of achievements for G-Dragon. This time, he earned the recognition of being the Best Dressed Celebrity of the Year. In a poll conducted by the Chosun Ilbo, 25 fashion designers and stylists were asked who they felt were the leading trendsetters of the year. The top 15 advanced to the second round of voting, where the top 10 were decided.

G-Dragon, the leader of world renowned group Big Bang, came first with 10 votes. Establishing himself as a fashionista early in his career, he is known for his wide range of styles, from street fashion to luxury, and is said to be capable of making any piece of clothing his own.

In second place is actress Ko Joon Hee, getting six votes for being sophisticated and bold. Experts said that she makes clothes look more beautiful with her well-proportioned body, and she knows how to create her own style without the aid of stylists.

Sharing the third spot  are actor Song Joong-ki and actress Kim Nam-joo with five votes each. Song looked neat and trim in the film “A Werewolf Boy” and TV drama “The Innocent Man,” which suited his natural and subtly edgy image. Kim, who appeared in KBS soap “My Husband Got a Family”, created a buzz with the clothes she wore to the set. Experts praised her improved fashion sense and attention to detail when matching her clothes to the occasion.

Actress Ko So-young, who still appears in commercials for cosmetics, clothing and fashion accessories after childbirth, and actress Jung Ryeo-won, who looked natural in unique outfits on TV drama, shared fifth place with four votes each. Both pay a lot of attention to matching accessories and bags to their body shape and clothes.

Actors Gong Yoo and Yoo Ah In, who both worked on TV dramas this year, received three votes each and came in seventh. Both actors love trying on different clothes and know what suits them, both.

Ninth place was shared by rapper Psy and actors Ryoo Seung Bum and Jang Dong Gun. According to the experts, Ryoo knows how to maintain his own style in both the public and private sphere, while Jang is very versatile when it comes to styling. As for Psy, he “is the only male celebrity who know what to do with tuxedoes.”



Also posted on Korea.com.

Spazz Saturday #9 | Big Bang Alive Galaxy Tour Manila!

More than a week has passed since this year's ultimate Kpop event took place, but the sound of Taeyang's "Manila, Baby! Manila, Baaaa-by!" still resonates in my ears. This my friends, is what we call the Beautiful Hangover. I'm pretty sure majority, if not all of those present during the Alive Galaxy Tour Manila, feel the same way as I do.

Samsung Galaxy Booth.

My girls and I arrived at the MOA Arena around 5:30 pm. It had been announced via Facebook and Twitter that gates will open at 6pm, and by the time we got there, a huge crowd was already piled up at ONE side of the MOA Arena. We were expecting a smaller crowd and shorter queue by the time we've finished dinner and done taking photos at the Samsung and Jeju Air booths (that was a little before 7pm), but NOOOOO - the crowd became even more ginormous and rambunctious because the gates didn't open as scheduled.

More photos after the jump!