Review: Mizon Original Skin Energy Ampoules: Peptide, Placenta, and Collagen, Oh My!

Mizon skin energy ampoules

When did getting older ever become a bad thing?  I remember (like it was yesterday!) being a frustrated teenager and counting down the years until I was 18 and officially became an adult.  Even in my 20s, I looked forward to my birthday every year.  Every year was a step towards my education or career goals.  Every year provided more knowledge, more experiences, more adventures, more confidence, and more security!

But now I am officially getting older, and it is not such a good thing anymore.  Somehow time has crept up, and I suddenly woke up to find myself in my mid-30s, although I still feel like I’m 25, and often get mistaken for it.  I take pride in looking like I’m still in my 20s, and goddamn it, I will maintain it as long as humanly possible!  (Without looking like a plastic freak with a pulled-apart face like overstretched mozzarella – you know what I’m talking about.)

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Review: Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge With Bamboo Charcoal

Boscia Konjac cleansing sponge

Finally getting around to blogging about one of my favorite skin care products: the Konjac Sponge!  Originally created in Japan, there are many different kinds to choose from, made by many different brands.  The first one that I tried was Boscia’s Konjac Cleansing Sponge with Bamboo Charcoal that I bought at Sephora.  I found that it provides effective yet gentle exfoliation, and overall I love Konjac sponges so much that it has a permanent position in my skin care routine.

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You talk, I listen!

144585051-two-women-one-whispering-in-the-others-ear-by-mcmillan-digital-art Someone just posted a great question on my last blog, which I promptly answered, and it inspired me to blog about it more in detail sometime soon.  Her question would be a great topic for a skin care-related post!  But it also got me thinking that I should open my blog up to more questions and suggestions.

So please use this space to post comments or ask questions.  I would also love to get suggestions about new products to try, or questions about skin care!  I am not a dermatologist, and definitely not an expert, but I will try to answer your questions thoughtfully and thoroughly based on my personal experiences and what I’ve read.  If you have any suggestions on how to make my blog easier to read, etc…, I’m open to them too!

Thanks again for reading my little blog!

With Aloha,

Kabuki Girl

xoxo

Review: Skin Food Black Sugar Strawberry Mask

Warning: The product that is the subject of this review is NOT food.  Do not eat, lick, or taste it, no matter how wonderful it smells and how hungry you are.

Skinfood black sugar strawberry mask

I felt the need to warn everyone because every time I use Skinfood Black Sugar Strawberry Mask, I want to lick it out of the jar!  It smells like the most delicious strawberry jam, and I love smearing it on my face.  This mask makes me hungry for strawberry rhubarb pie, and as a bonus it’s a really gentle exfoliating mask!

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Review: Missha M Signature Real Complete BB Cream

I’m not exaggerating when I say I’m probably the pickiest person alive when it comes to foundations, including BB creams.  I have incredibly high standards (some would probably say impossibly high) and in the past I’ve mostly dealt with disappointment.  Usually because I have a hard time matching my skin color.  And when I do find the right color, it causes acne, or doesn’t cover my pores enough, or doesn’t provide enough coverage, or is too thick and looks like a mask.  Really, there are so many different reasons why I’ve never been able to find one that I really like, and I’ve returned dozens of bottles and tubes to Sephora over the years.

Missha M signature real complete BB cream

Despite my previous failures, I haven’t stopped trying to find the perfect foundation.  In the last two months alone I’ve bought and tried 3 different foundations, plus dozens of samples.  They didn’t make the cut.  I don’t even consider it worth my time to review them.  But I’m happy to say that I finally found one that I think is worth my time to review and to keep using: Missha M Signature Real Complete BB Cream.  It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty damn close!  And this product is yet another reason why I *heart* Korean skincare!

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Review: Mizon Skin Power Original First Essence

Ever since SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence grew in popularity, several Asian companies came out with their own  – and much cheaper – versions.

Mizon Skin Power Original First Essence

Mizon Skin Power Original First Essence is Mizon’s interpretation of SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence, and I got it on a whim because I found it on sale and I’ve always been curious about trying a fermentation essence.

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Review: The Face Shop Sebum Control Moisture Sun

The Face Shop sebum control sun

The last time I was living in Japan (yikes, already almost 10 years ago!), I tried several different sunscreens, and I remember being really impressed with them.  Even 10 years ago, Japan was more advanced than what we have in the US today.  The Face Shop Sebum Control Moisture Sun was the first time I used a Korean sunscreen, and it did not disappoint!  And it also confirmed to me that Asian companies just understand how sunscreens are supposed to work and feel on the skin.

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Updated Review: Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream

In a previous post, I reviewed Nature Republic’s Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream.  You can read my original post here, where I went into detail about the feel and moisturizing effect of this cream. Overall, while I liked the cream as a day moisturizer, I wasn’t really sure how beneficial the ingredients were, so ultimately I gave this moisturizer an 8/10, but I only gave the ingredients 7/10.

Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream

Well, on a particularly boring evening, I decided to actually do some research on the dozens of different extracts in this moisturizer, and I am now pleasantly surprised with what I found!  Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream is actually filled with antioxidants and soothing ingredients, some have been used for centuries in Chinese medicine.  I realized that I needed to update my original review and give this moisturizer a new grade.  So the following is an expansion on my original review, with more details on the ingredients.

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Review: Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule

In a previous post, I gushed about my first Korean skincare *love*: Mizon’s All in One Snail Repair Cream.  While this cream worked great for me, I was a little concerned about several acne-inducing ingredients in it, so I decided to switch to Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule.

Mizon snail repair intensive ampoule

Unfortunately, even after using this ampoule for about a month, I didn’t get the same dramatic, visible results, so I made the switch back to my beloved All in One Snail Repair Cream!

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