By Aubrie Smith, copy editor.
I’ve never been a makeup person. Even when everyone I knew was rushing after Jeffree Star’s new pallet, sticking to Covergirl and Elf never bothered me. Being financially stable is my main goal right now, not having the fleekest eyebrows in the room. But I totally respect those people who wake up extra early and commit to their makeup rituals. Go you! That’s some awesome dedication that I totally lack, and you have my respect. I wish I cared that much, but I don’t.
Trying Korean makeup for a week was some tough business for me. This makeup trend enhances natural skin by hydrating it– something American products suck at. American makeup users are constantly washing their face with chemicals like Salicylic acid and alcohol, whereas these products are water based, giving your skin a break from dehydration. In result you’re supposed to have beautiful, blemish free skin and a more natural skin tone with specific cosmetics. But, to do this, I had to change everything I knew about my morning and nightly routine, and I was completely thrown off kilter. It was an experience, to say the least.
I was initially super excited about doing this trial. I rushed home the day the package was delivered, ripped open the box right away, and applied the lip moisturizer right then and there. I was shocked at how much stuff I had received: foundation, face wash, a night-time face mask, liquid makeup remover, a face hydrator, and a lip moisturizer– all in full sized bottles.
Most of this stuff I hadn’t even heard of before. I had to read instructions more than once just to get everything straight. But excitement still bubbled inside me.
The first night I did everything I was supposed to. I took off my makeup with the liquid remover, washed my face with the provided cleanser and slept in the water-based face mask.
I woke up with smooth, tighter skin, and understood exactly why people go through all of the effort; It was worth it.
After a week of extensive nightly rituals, and shorter, but exact morning makeup routines, I can officially state my opinion on all of the facial products provided.
Water Sleeping Mask
This was my favorite Korean facial product. This is a water-based mask that you put on after you wash your makeup off at night (or rinse your face, for those who don’t wear makeup). After applying this wonderful goop to your skin, all you have to do is go to bed. The strangest thing to get used to is going to bed with wet slime on your face.
The mask is made up of a water-based solution, so it doesn’t dry very fast. Instead, while you sleep, it soaks into your skin. You fall asleep, afraid to roll over in fear of ruining your pillow, and wake up with dry, super soft skin. It’s beautiful.
This product does wonders for someone with dry skin. Around this time every year, my normally oily skin turns super dry. I can say in full confidence that this replaced my face lotion obsession. The bottle recommends that you only wear it one to two times a week, and I wish that I could wear this every night. I have to keep myself from going to the bottle at night when I feel my face getting dry. I love this so much that breaking the health suggestions seems worth it.
Brightening Sparkling Water Capsule Mist
This product is interesting. When it’s in the box, there are two parts. Some dissolving pill looking things, and then a bottle of water. When you’re ready to use it, you put the two pills into the bottle and shake it.
The bottle says that this product brightens your face. This is also water-based, and easy to apply. However, I will admit that I stopped using this very early on in my trial. This is one of the only products that I received that I didn’t see an outcome from. I applied it multiple times on the first few days, and haven’t touched it since.
To be fair, it is completely possible (likely, actually) that I did not use it long enough to see the desired effect. I am very hesitant to say that this product has no outcome, or that it is a waste of money. I suppose that in my personal opinion, it just wasn’t a product that I would continuously use.
Deep Cleansing Oil (Makeup remover)
This was a whole new product for me. Honestly, I suck at taking my makeup off at night. You would think that while I was awkwardly staring in the mirror brushing my teeth every night, that I would want to at least take off my eyeliner in attempt to not wake up looking like a raccoon– no. That is never what happens.
Honestly, I think that the only reason people take off their makeup at night is to prevent acne, and that’s not something I struggle with. By the time 12 a.m. rolls around, and I’m finally ready to hop in bed, the makeup that I applied 14 hours earlier is long gone. My foundation is nonexistent. I don’t feel like I have cake on my face, and match that with not being prone to acne, and I feel no need to wash my face.
That being said, this product was a struggle for me. Not only is it something that I don’t use, but it’s honestly kind of weird. You pump the product into your palms, and apply it to your dry face. I’m not sure if this is something that is common for people who wash their face nightly, but it was really hard for me to get used to. After rubbing the substance into your dry face for a few seconds, you then use water to rinse it off. Even then, I’ve used the cloth makeup removers on occasion, and if I’m being honest, I like those better.
I attempted to use this every night, and it did feel good to wake up in the morning with no makeup before my shower, but I felt the need to use the other face cleanser right after using this one. I think using both was more successful and beneficial to my skin than using just the makeup remover.
Even so, I don’t know how you nightly face-washers do it; this was a hassle.
Anti-Trouble Bubble Cleanser
I always paired this with the makeup remover, but this was an awesome product alone. Other face washes I’ve used have those little beads in them that really scrub, but this cleanser was light and fluffy.
I thought I was in love with the beads. I never understood how people could just goop stuff on their face that didn’t feel like it was really working to get all the dirt out. However, I think the magic here is that it foams while it pumps. I’ll relate it to a bottle of moose, or foaming hand soap. It’s not like the clear liquid that foams as you work it in, and it was a really different experience.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure you can find that kind of face wash at your local meijer, but the other cool thing about this is that it’s infused with Tea Tree oil. This oil is cooling, and makes your skin feel extra clean after applying it. This was one of my favorite products, and I hate washing my face.
IOPE C13 Air Cushion Cover Light Vanilla (Foundation)
I am buying this for the rest of my life. This foundation is amazing. Initially, I was very put off by this product. Ordering it was a hassle because there are only three different shades. I am paler than pale, and finding a foundation that blends with my skin is nearly impossible.
I’ve never cared about tanning, I’m a redhead, and being pale bothers me none. However, I always seem to get that orange line, no matter how light the shade of makeup I buy. This has (for the most part) eliminated that.
Unlike the foundation that I’m used to, this does not come in a bottle. It comes in a compact like you would expect from a powder. The foundation is soaked into a sponge in the middle of the compact, and you use your personal foundation sponge to soak it out. This is such a wonderful way to get foundation out. One of the biggest problems with bottle foundation is that too much always seems to come out. You’re either wasting your money by not applying the extra foundation, or you’re applying too much to your face and end up looking like a cake; This eliminates both of those outcomes.
Not only does it apply the perfect amount to my face, but this stuff smells good, which is unheard of for a foundation. This stuff is the future.
Moisture Lip Balm
This is another wonderful product. This is a beautiful blend between lip gloss and chapstick. Though liquid, like a gloss, it’s a bit tingly, and refreshes your lips like a moisturizer.
This was another product that I used religiously when I first got it in the mail, but then tossed it aside.
I did really enjoy this product. It gave my lips a glow, and helped me avoid chapping during the changing of the seasons. However, I ended disliking the lip gloss feel. My hair got stuck to it, and it was just a little too sticky for my liking. It brought flashbacks of middle school.
Overall, I think these products are great. They’re lighter than American products, and brighten your skin using water instead of harmful chemicals.
I struggle with dry skin during this time of the year, and I feel that it was lessoned this year because of these products.
I really sucked at using them all as much as I was supposed to, but I think that would have been with any makeup product. I’ve just never been that person. However, these products made that worth it, in my opinion.
Through this whole thing, there’s only one complaint: I now have some acne. I’ve been doing the same thing with my facial routine and makeup for years. My skin has gotten used to it, and my blemishes have been non existent. Changing that routine up has made my skin react in a different way, and blemishes have appeared. This was really upsetting to me. I’m not sure if it is one specific product causing this, or if it’s all of them together. Either way, I’m hoping that with the continuous use of these products, this problem will resolve itself.
All acne aside, I would highly recommend these products to any makeup or skin care lover. They’re light, gentle, smell fantastic, and leave your skin hydrated and refreshed.
