Seoul Searching | SMTown at COEX Artium!

For any Kpop fan, no trip to COEX (or Seoul, for that matter) would be complete without visiting SMTown - a sprawling, six-story hub of all things Kpop.

Hello, SMTown! We finally meet! :)

The huge 'SMTown' sign was actually the first thing that I noticed as we entered the premises of COEX Mall. And like a piece of metal attracted to a magnet, my feet just automatically took me there. My boys obviously had no choice but to follow suit. Haha!

Life-size versions of EXO Paper Toys.

Follow me to SMTown! Virtual tour after the jump! :)

Spotlight | Etude House Rosy Tint Lips.

First Monday of 2014! The year may be fresh and new but old habits die hard because as always, I'm kick-starting the week with a makeup post. It is, after all, Makeup Monday for this blog. :)

Now if you're following me on Instagram, you may recall that I received some lovely Christmas gifts from Etude House Philippines. I'm now going through the goodies one by one, and the product that I decided to try first is the Rosy Tint Lips - Etude House's new line of lip products which was released last Fall. I've been eyeing this baby long before they reached Philippine shores, and here it is finally!

Rosy Tint Lips.

The box itself is a work of art. This is one of the many things that I love about Etude House (and Korean makeup brands in general) - they have a way of making you fall in love with their product/s from the packaging alone. And this one is no exception.

You might think this is a lip gloss...

Because of the plastic squeeze tube packaging, I won't be surprised if you'd mistake this for a lip gloss at first glance. But no, they're actually lip stains - highly pigmented, creamy texture, and with a lovely matte finish. If you're familiar with NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams, the texture and the 'feel' is pretty much the same.

You'd be surprised it isn't. :)

To use, simply squeeze the tube until you get the product flowing into the sponge. It's not as simple as it sounds though, as the tube is a bit dense and hard. Almost too hard, in my opinion. The material they used for the tube is not exactly the 'squeezable' kind. But once you get the product on the sponge, the actual application is easy-breezy. This product glides on my lips like a dream.

Shade number 1, Before Blossom.

And here's the swatch.

There are eight shades in the Rosy Tint Lips collection. What I have here is shade number 1 - otherwise known as Before Blossom - a warm shade of red that's very wearable and not as 'loud' and shocking as the swatch appears to be. The color is buildable, and lasts about four to five hours without eating or drinking. 

Before Blossom on my lips.

This product has a faint rose scent which I particularly like. I don't think this will be an issue for those who prefer unscented lip products as the rose scent is hardly noticeable. This lip stain's formula is lightweight and non-drying, despite the matte finish. Oh, and the price? They sell for Php 478 (around $10) a pop at Etude House branches nationwide.

What I love:

- The oh-so-pretty box!

- Highly-pigmented.

- Buildable color.

- Lightweight formula.

- Velvet, matte finish.

- Lovely, rose scent.

- Doesn't feel dry on the lips.

- Affordable.

- Several shades to choose from.

- Perfect for gradient lips.

- Can also be used as a cheek tint.

What you might not like:

- The 'not-so-squeezable' tube.

First selca of the year! Red on red on red. :)
FACE: Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream,
Missha Under Eye Brightener, Etude House Any Cushion.
EYES: BYS Waterproof Eyeliner, Fairy Drops Volume Burst Mascara,
The Face Shop Lovely Me: EX Design My Eyebrow.
CHEEKS: Skin Food Sugar Cookie Blusher in Bebe Pink.
LIPS: Etude House Rosy Tint Lips in Before Blossom.

Have you tried Etude House's Rosy Tint Lips? What do you think about this product? Do you like it as much as I do? :)

Spotlight | Etude House Precious Mineral Any Cushion.

I was aiming to get this post up in time for KPop Republic, but alas, I fell ill yesterday and stayed in bed the entire day while nursing a 38-degree fever. Good thing the fever was gone when I woke up this morning, and although I'm still feeling a bit weak, I can manage to sit in front of my laptop and finally finish this review.

Rosa Fiore (the company that brought Etude House to the Philippines) sent me samples of this much talked about Any Cushion a few weeks back, and I've been using this product for several days now. If you're following me on Instagram, then you've probably seen me rave about this latest offering from Etude House.

Etude House Precious Mineral Any Cushion.

It's a cushion-type foundation that boasts of six major functions - coverage, moisturizer, sun protection, sebum control, whitening effect, and cooling effect. It comes in a pretty pink (albeit chunky) compact that has a full-sized mirror and a double lid closure which separates the puff from the cushion itself.

Double lid closure.

The puff, meanwhile, is made from Rubycell and Polyurethane. It has a rubbery feel, is easy to clean, and does not wear and tear easily, unlike ordinary sponges.

Rubber  puff!

As for the cushion itself, it looks like a big sponge doused with foundation. Haha! To use, simply push the cushion down with the rubber puff, and voila!

The Any Cushion, up close.

One push gets you enough product for light coverage. To build up color and for heavier coverage, go for two or three pushes.

Two pushes will get you this much.

I'm currently using the W24 Honey Beige - a darker shade of beige that suits my skin tone nicely. The funny thing is, I'm actually a W13 Natural Beige when it comes to Etude House's Bright Fit BB Cream. I'm not sure if the colors have been formulated differently, but the W13 shade of the Any Cushion is a little off for my skin tone.

Left without Any Cushion; right with Any Cushion.

I do, however, love its matte to satin finish that feels very light on the skin. I'm also crazy about how my face looks airbrushed whenever I'm wearing the Any Cushion. Haha!

Satin and glowing - straight from a Korean drama, haha! 

What I love:

- Cute, hygienic packaging.

- The rubber puff! 

- Buildable coverage.

- Matches my skin tone nicely.

- Matte to satin finish.

- Gives the skin a nice glow and leaves it with an 'airbrushed' appearance.

- Feels light on the skin.

- Doesn't cake up even after hours of wearing.

- Stays on for about eight to ten hours.

- SPF50+/PA+++!

- No allergies, no breakouts whatsoever.

- Has a mild, pleasant scent.

- Reasonably priced at Php 998 (a little over $20).

What you might not like:

-  For a compact, I find this one a bit chunky.

(But at least it still fits my on-the-go vanity kit, haha.)

Products Used:
FACE: Etude House Precious Minerals Any Cushion,
Missha UnderEye Brightener.
EYES: BYS Waterproof Eyeliner, Majolica Majorca Lash King Mascara,
The Face Shop Design My Eyebrow.
CHEEKS: Human Heart Nature Perfect Glow Mineral Blush.
LIPS: Double Hit Lip in Rose Riot.

Have you tried the Precious Mineral Any Cushion? It's now available at all Etude House branches and sells for Php 998 a pop :)

Hair Story | Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring in Wine Red.

If you're a loyal follower of this blog, then you've probably read about my hair coloring adventures. You've seen me sport orange, take a stab at blonde, and even try a Japanese brand out of desperation. Haha!

I had the chance to go shopping at Etude House a few weeks back, and made it a point to buy another box of Bubble Hair Coloring. As always, there was no Mocha Pink available, so I took the next best thing - Wine Red.

#4 Wine Red.

I didn't take pictures of the contents, but as always, inside the box were the Bubble Coloring Solution, the Pump Bottle, a sachet of the Silky Perfumed Hair Treatment, plus the Latex Gloves and the Plastic Cape (that still rips apart within seconds, lol). You can view the photos of the contents here and here, together with the step-by-step instructions on how to apply the product.

Now here are the before and after photos.

Before - previous color all gone and my hair has turned almost black.

After - Red hair ala Lee Kiseop! :)

And it looks burgundy-ish from behind.

All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with the result. I've grown tired of brown hair, and this burgundy-ish shade is right up to my alley. Oh, and in case you're gonna try this shade out, let me just warn you about the purple foam. The hair coloring is actually purple once you pump it out of the bottle. The purple shade gets darker as you pump out more of the product. It leaves a nasty stain on clothes, so be sure to cover yourself up with a towel or the plastic cape provided.

I'm still waiting for the day when I could finally lay my hands on that box of Mocha Pink Bubble Hair Coloring. Somehow, someday, I will have the chance to try that forever elusive color. Haha! :)

The Etude House Bubble Hair Coloring is available at all Etude House branches, and sell for Php 378 per box.

CC Cream Chronicles | Etude House Correct & Care CC Cream.

So many things to blog about, so little time. Had a sudden influx of products for review this weekend, to which this blogger is grateful and happy.

But before I touch any of those packages, I wanted to do this review first. It's currently one of my favorite products from one of my favorite Korean brands, Etude House.

Etude House Correct & Care CC Cream.

Yep, it's their version of CC Cream. The Correct & Care CC Cream, to be exact. This product comes in two variants - #01 Silky and #02 Glow. This is the #01 version, which has a semi-matte finish. The latter, on the other hand, has a dewy finish.

#01 Silky.

In one of my previous posts, I've mentioned the difference between CC Creams and BB Creams. CC Creams function both as a makeup and skincare product. BB Creams, which offer more in terms of coverage, are more of makeup.

Multi-tasking 8-in-1 formula.

The Etude House Correct & Care CC Cream has several functions - it's a moisturizer, primer, concealer, sunblock, whitening, and anti-aging product all in one tube.

Pump it! :)

This 35 gram tube has an easy-to-control pump at the end of it. Its nozzle is so fine that it dispenses just the right amount of product with one pump.

A glob of white. :)

Like the Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream, this product is white with tiny speckles, otherwise known as 'color capsules'. Consistency is a bit creamier than Tony Moly's, but has the same lightweight, easy-to-blend formula. It also has a mild, pleasant scent which I've become really fond of.

Spread and blend. :)

My first stab at using CC Creams made me lower my expectation with this product (and CC Creams in general) in terms of coverage. CC Creams, after all, are meant to 'correct' your skin tone, not exactly 'cover' it. I was pleasantly surprised, however, that this CC Cream suits my skin tone nicely and gives me a better coverage than Tony Moly's. Of course, my dark undereyes are a totally different story - I still need a separate concealer for that perennial problem of mine. Haha!

Left without CC Cream, right with CC Cream.

The Etude House Correct & Care CC Cream comes in one size only (35 grams) and sells for Php 798 (approximately $20) each. It's cheaper by Php150 than Tony Moly's, but relatively smaller in terms of product size. Bought this at Etude House's Festival Mall branch, by the way.

What I love:

- Sleek packaging, pump is easy to control.

- Lightweight formula.

- Mild, pleasant scent.

- Easy to blend.

- Adjusts with my skin tone nicely.

- Gives better coverage than my other CC Cream.

- Semi-matte finish.

- SPF30 PA++.

- Stays on for about 8-10 hours.

- No breakouts, no allergies, safe for sensitive skin.

- Affordable price.

What you might not like:

- Coverage is not enough for my dark undereyes.

Products used:
FACE: Etude House Correct & Care CC Cream, Missha Undereye Brightener,
Krave Luxurious Perfection in French Latte.
EYES: The Face Shop Design My Eyebrow, BYS Waterproof Eyeliner,
Majolica Majorca Lash King Mascara.
CHEEKS: Skin Food Sugar Cookie Blush in Bebe Pink.
LIPS: Avon Ultra Color Lipstick in Dream Fuchsia.

I have another Etude House product that's due for review. Hopefully, I'll be able to post it within the week so please look forward to it! :)

Spotlight | Etude House Eraser Show Line Remover Stick.

The first time I saw this meme, I totally cracked up. Because I've had my own share of eyeliner boo-boos, and I can totally relate with this dilemma. Haha!

Photo credit: We Know Memes

But now that I've discovered this handy makeup tool, I no longer have to worry about 'being a panda'.

Eraser Show!

Ta-daa! It's the Etude House Eraser Show Line Remover Stick, which I bought for only Php 148 at Etude House's Alabang Town Center branch. And that's the regular price, mind you. :)

English text, for your reference.

'This makeup remover cream stick swiftly and precisely wipes away smudges, flaking, and other makeup mistakes. Infused with Argan Oil, it erases even waterproof formula skin.' - So goes the product description.

It looks like a Vicks inhaler, lol.

The product comes in one size only (2 mL), and the stick itself looks like this. Kinda reminds me of a Vicks inhaler, haha. This one smells really nice, though. The scent actually reminds me of Laneige's Water Sleeping Pack EX. The product is very easy to use, and has a creamy, slightly oily (but not icky) texture when applied.

Here's the Line Remover Stick in action. I used it to remove my BYS Waterproof Eyeliner, which is tough against soap and water (ergo, it's really waterproof).

Etude House Eraser Show Line Remover Stick vs
BYS Waterproof Eyeliner.

Now that's one very thick coat! :)

The line starts to come off after three swipes of the Line Remover Stick.

Wipe it off completely with tissue or cotton and there you have it -
no traces of the eyeliner left on my skin!

What I love:

- Cute, sleek packaging.

- Product is easy to use.

- Works effectively, even on waterproof eyeliners.

- Smells nice.

- Safe for sensitive skin.

- Doesn't sting the eyes.

- Affordable price.

What you might not like:

- None that I can think of. :)

Impressed by the Etude House Eraser Show Line Remover Stick? I am.
I'd say this is a must-have for anyone who loves to wear/do makeup (eyeliners, in particular) - whether you're a newbie with makeup or a professional makeup artist or just a makeup junkie (like me) who wants to avoid becoming a panda. Haha!

SHINee Designs for Skechers.

KPop idol group SHINee has taken their modelling stint with Skechers to the next level. Now, they are not just brand endorsers, they have become designers as well.

Onew, Taemin, Jonghyun, Key, and Minho met up with the design team of Skechers to brainstorm ideas, after which they made drafts of their favorite themes individually.

According to a Skechers representative, "The 5 members of SHINee actively participated in the design process from start to finish, and left the staff feeling stunned. The designs will focus on SHINee’s unique sense of style, so we believe that we can definitely produce something that will reflect on each member’s personality."

This project was done in collaboration with portal website NAVER, where the caps and shirts designed by SHINee will first go on sale. International Kpop fans can also avail of the 'Why So Serious' collection via YesAsia, where preorders can now be made.

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? :)