Pucker Up! | Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm Intense.

If you're an avid fan of Korean dramas, then you probably know what 'PPL' or 'product placement' is. It's a marketing technique which strategically features brand logos in a particular scene, or shows the characters in the drama using the product. Sometimes subtle, but oftentimes not, PPL has become a norm in Korean dramas; the more popular the drama is, the more PPLs are inserted in it.

I fell for these PPLs several times in the past, and thanks to these Korean dramas, I've bought all sort of stuff - lipsticks, cushions, sheet masks, perfume, plush dolls... Heck, I would even have pizza or fried chicken delivered to our flat (in Seoul) because my favorite Hallyu stars were endorsing them, lol!

The latest PPLs that I fell prey to were the ones shown in Memories of the Alhambra. You see, I've come across these Creamy Tint Color Balms countless of times in Myeongdong and Sinsadong, but never really paid much attention to them. I did swatch a few shades, but purchase them I did not. Then came Memories of the Alhambra with scenes of Park Shin Hye gliding them color balms on her lips, and I was like, "Freeeaaaak! Why did I not buy those while I was in Seoul???" 

Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm Intense, Php 390 each on Althea.

Thankfully, these lippies are sold in Althea, and I bought two out of the seven shades that were listed on their site. That's just a fraction of the entire Creamy Tint Color Balm Intense line, which has a whopping selection of 27 shades!

Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm Intense.

A crayon-type lip product, the Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm Intense has the vivid color of lipstick and the creamy texture of a lip balm. It's formulated with jojoba extract to moisturize and smoothen the lips, and green tea seed oil to protect the lips from external pollutants and free radical damage. It also contains a special powder ingredient which provides this product with a soft, smooth, glide-on texture.

Twist-up lip crayon.

The shades that I got were #21 Red Soul and #22 Dandy Coral. The former is a muted brown-red shade, while the latter is a coral-based peach.

Shade reference on the top flap of the box.

Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm Intense #21 Red Soul.

Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm Intense #22 Dandy Coral.

Both shades are nicely pigmented, have a smooth, velvety texture, and a true matte finish. Although these Creamy Tint Color Balms do not have that slick, buttery feel when you glide them on the lips, they're very easy to apply, and you only need to swipe them once or twice for the color to pop.

Crayon-type lip product.

Twist the bottom part to expose the tip of the product.

They're non-drying, and your lips won't feel parched even after hours of wear. They don't accentuate fine lines either, despite settling down to a flat matte finish. Do note, however, that I have a regimen which keeps my lips from looking or feeling dry. If you have dry, flaky lips, I suggest you exfoliate and moisturize properly before and after using matte lip products.

#22 Dandy Coral on top, #21 Red Soul on the bottom.

Swatched: #21 Red Soul on the left, #22 Dandy Coral on the right.

For a 'lip balm', these products are surprisingly long-wearing. The colors stay put for hours (especially if you wear them full lip), and can survive a light, non-greasy meal.

Wearing shade #22 Dandy Coral.

Wearing shade #21 Red Soul.

Most of my PPL buys have never failed me, and I'm so glad that the Mamonde Creamy Tint Color Balm Intense exceeded my expectations. I have a feeling I'll be buying more of these in the (very) near future because why not? They give value for money, plus I have a few more Althea Rewards Points to spare, anyways. :)

Have you been influenced by Korean dramas (or any other TV show, for that matter) in buying something? Share your PPL story in the comments! :)

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. :)