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. :)

Vinyl Wall Stickers | Wall Art Made Easy.

So you wanna prettify your living space but don't have a big budget to spare? Then wall decals are your best bet. They're easy to apply, work on almost any type of surface, and are very affordable, too.

Colorful Tree and Animals.
Photo credit: Walldecalspop

If this is going to be your first time to work with vinyl wall stickers, here are some tips to help you get the job done.

1. Keep it clean. Prior to application, make sure the wall where the decals will be placed are clean and dust-free.

2. Mark the spot. Spacing mistakes can be avoided by marking out the spot as exact as possible before sticking the decals on the wall. 

3. Pressure is the key. To make sure that the adhesive attaches to the surface properly, the decals have to be pressed firmly against the wall. Working with intricate designs can be a bit tricky, but remember - patience is a virtue! :)

4. Watch out for the bubbles! They usually occur when you're working with large wall decals so keep your eyes peeled for bubbles that may crop up.

5. Let it dry. Avoid touching or repositioning the decal once it has been attached to the wall.

Plum Blossom Tree Branch.
Photo credit: Wallstickerscool

So whether it's a nursery, the master's bedroom, or even the living room that you're thinking of redecorating, there's an array of vinyl wall art designs out there that's sure to tickle your fancy.

The ABC of Rug and Carpet Care.

Imagine your home - your dream home,  and finally being able to live in it and call it your own. Imagine the living room - wide, spacious, decorated with a classic style (nothing extremely modern, and not too minimalist either), with a beautiful, handcrafted Karastan rug sprawled gorgeously on the floor.

Karastan Area Rug / Select Artwork, Plum Blossom.

Now imagine your three-year-old accidentally spilling his milk on your precious Karastan. Or your husband coming home after a game of football, trudging across the living room - muddy cleats and all. Or your naughty Persian cat, scratching on the wool.

Horror of horrors, isn't it? Thankfully, there's an area rug cleaner to get you out of this nightmare.

ABC Rug and Carpet Care gives  first class cleaning and customer service from people who truly care about you, your family, and your rugs. Their team of experienced cleaning technicians can clean, repair, and restore any type of rug and carpet imaginable! Most importantly of all, they use organic cleaning solutions which prolongs the life of your carpets and rugs, and protects not only the environment but also your family's health.

And if you avail of their services today, you get a 15% discount on top of the superior cleaning service and excellent customer care that they provide. Now isn't that great news for you and your precious Karastan?