Review: Tonymoly Latte Art Cappuccino Cream-In Scrub

I know that most of us cannot live without coffee. Some of us are even crazy over coffee!

What is there NOT to love about coffee?

Its aroma is heavenly...

Its taste is sophisticated...

... and it somehow energizes us...

... keeping us awake and alert for the rest of the day

No, I'm not enticing you to buy coffee beans, or head to your nearest coffee shop!

But, close enough...

Last year, I ordered the Memebox Special # 39: Cafe Box, and I was delighted to see the Tonymoly Latte Art Cappuccino Cream-In Scrub.

And, I got to try it regularly! I'm happy to say that I've been using this twice a week since I got it!

This is how it looks now:

After months of use, there's still a lot of product left! I bet this would last me for a year, too!

This scrub promises to exfoliate the skin, and 'massage' it afterwards. It promises to remove dirt from clogged pores, and it claims to be hypoallergenic.

Pros:

• Very cute and convenient packaging
• Easy to wash off
• Easy to apply
• Gentle on skin
• Exfoliates and turns into a massaging cream
• A little goes a long way 
• Lovely coffee scent 

Cons: 

• None

Packaging

No doubt about it - packaging is sooo cute! I could keep this forever! It's cute and compact, and it's pretty easy to carry around. I think it's mostly made of clear plastic, which is probably the reason why it didn't break when I accidentally dropped it on the floor. Plus, it comes with a spatula, too!

Not much English information is printed on the container, though. Except for a short product description, it doesn't contain anything else. Not even the list of ingredients, but no worries for me! I'm almost always ready to forage the Internet for information.

Despite the lack of printed information on the container, I'm relieved because the manufacturing date and batch code are both on the packaging.

Formulation

There's no doubt about it; this thing smells absolutely delicious! It smells almost like cappuccino! Cappuccino lovers, rejoice!!!

Although it's made predominantly of sugar crystals (as evidenced by the gritty crystals shown on photo), it's a bit surprising that it's not abrasive on the skin at all! It doesn't hurt, no matter how hard I try to rub it on my skin!

And the fun part is, it turns creamy after a few rubs! Hence, no abrasions!

From brown, it turns white, too!

Did I mention that this particular scrub gives a 'heating effect' to the skin as well? It surely 'warms' the skin for a while, making it a bit more relaxing to the skin.

Most of all, it's very easy to wash off, too!

Effectiveness

You'd be glad to hear that this product is not just a cutesy cosmetic, because it does work!

Regular use of this scrub has helped 'clean' my pores. They became tighter and cleaner over time. I think it has improved the condition of my skin as well. I rarely experience breakouts - perhaps because of the 'cleaner' pores.

Overall

I love this product so much because it's cute and it works! And, it smells great, too!

I could also say that it's worth the money. This scrub, which retails at almost Php 600 each, could possibly last you a year. Not bad, eh? 

Repurchase?

Of course, I will!

How about you? Have you used this scrub before?/

What do you think?

[DISCLAIMER] This is NOT a sponsored or paid advertisement. MARIE (the author of this blog) purchased the said product using her own money. 

Please note that the reviews are not by any chance made by an expert on makeup and skincare; these reviews are all based on the author’s limited knowledge, thoughts, and opinions. 

If you have beauty products that you’d like me to review, let me know!  

Need advertising space? This blog is also open for advertising. Please send me a message to: newbeeworld31@gmail.com

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Posted by Unknown in cream, facial scrub, kbeauty, korean cosmetics, korean skin care, korean skincare, scrub, sugar, tonymoly

Review: Tonymoly Latte Art Cappuccino Cream-In Scrub

Review: It's Skin Cookie and Hand Cream in Mint (80ml)

Don’t you just love the aroma of freshly baked cookies? Add a hint of mint, and it smells absolutely heavenly! 

When Memebox sent me a tub of It’s Skin Cookie and Hand Cream in Mint variant through Memebox Special #47 - My Dessert Box, I didn't feel too excited because I wasn't a fan of hand creams by then. I thought lotions are already sufficient.

However, that notion of mine changed when I began using this. 

It's Skin Cookie and Hand Cream in Mint promises to nourish and moisturize the skin.

Pros:

Cookies and cream scent with a hint of mint
Moisturizing
Fun to use
Very cute packaging
Not greasy when applied

Cons:

Takes a while to absorb fully into the hands
Tub-type packaging
Not locally available


Packaging

As you could see, the product is housed in a tub, with no spatula, whatsoever. I don’t like tub-type packaging for skin care products in general, because I hate dipping my fingers/spatula into the product. However, what can I do? I can’t hate THIS packaging, despite its ‘unhygienic’ container, because it’s simply too darn cute!

Come to think of it: how many of us apply hand cream without washing our hands first?

I bet, not so many.

For the record, I don’t apply hand cream without washing my hands first. I believe only clean hands deserve hand creams. If you believe in such, then maybe, the tub-type packaging may not be so ‘unhygienic’ for us after all.

The container aside, I kind of appreciate this packaging because of its simplicity. It doesn’t say much, but the essentials are printed in English and Korean. Also, the batch code and manufacturing date are indicated. So, no worries for me.

Formulation

The cuteness doesn’t end in the packaging. Even the cream is sooo darn cute in itself.

Look:

The specks you see almost look like cookies, and with the slightly minty cream around, it surely reminds me of Cookies and Cream - in mint variant!

And the scent! And the scent, is soooo spot on! Cookie lovers will surely rejoice at the sight and the smell of this! It reminds me of cookies and cream with a hint of mint. I absolutely love it!

Don't worry about the specks turning black like the one above. It 'melts' and doesn't leave residue nor discolor your skin. 

Effectiveness

I’m not crazy on this cream only because of its looks and scent.

It does what it promises, too! It hydrates the skin so well - leaving my hands so smooth and silky every after application. The product takes a while to absorb into the skin though, but I don’t mind because the scent is wonderful on the skin, especially when it hasn’t fully absorbed yet.

Overall

Obviously, I’m in love with this product, but I don’t think it’s available locally. I’ve seen It’s Skin products (in limited quantities and variants) in Watson’s shelves the other year, but recently, they seem to have disappeared. Where could they have gone to?

Repurchase?

If given a chance? Of course, I will!

I heard there are other variants of this hand cream as well - in original, and in strawberry. I look forward to trying each variant! 

How about you? Have you tried this hand cream before?

What do you think?

Don’t forget to comment below!

Love,

Marie

[DISCLAIMER] This is NOT a sponsored or paid advertisement. MARIE (the author of this blog) purchased the said product using her own money. 

Please note that the reviews are not by any chance made by an expert on makeup and skincare; these reviews are all based on the author’s limited knowledge, thoughts, and opinions. 

If you have beauty products that you’d like me to review, let me know!  

Need advertising space? This blog is also open for advertising. Please send me a message to: newbeeworld31@gmail.com

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Posted by Unknown in hand cream, it's skin, kbeauty, korean cosmetics, korean skin care, korean skincare, memebox, moisturizer

Review: It's Skin Cookie and Hand Cream in Mint (80ml)

Is your Clarisonic Mia 2 Authentic? Signs You Got a Fake Clarisonic

Before you’re going to snatch that deal (or steal) on a Clarisonic Mia device or replacement brushes from an unauthorized seller, please think it through! In case you haven’t known about it yet, the internet is looming with fake Clarisonic devices, some of which might be sold at the retail price.

If you’re about to purchase a cheap Clarisonic, DON’T do it until you've finally verified if it’s REAL THING. You might be looking at a counterfeit.

This is a rather long post, but I hope you'll stick to the end! 


MY STORY

Fake Clarisonic (?) packaging

I swear I should have known this few days before I bought my ‘Clarisonic’. I was blinded by a ‘too-good-to- be-true’ offer.

Imagine, a Clarisonic Mia 2 device was being sold at roughly Php 3,700, which is approximately ($ 81), including shipping. 

Fake Clarisonic (?) packaging

Authorized dealers of Clarisonic, sell the Mia 2 at the retail price of $149 each, approximately Php 6,900 (doesn’t even include shipping!) If you’re lucky, probably you could snatch it at a lower price, probably 25% less at most. Still, with that discount, the device would still be expensive at a little above Php 5000 each.

The ‘shady’ offer, being only half the suggested retail price should have been a red flag, and I shouldn’t have ignored the signs. But, the dealer, did mention that it’s 100% Guaranteed Authentic, and this prompted me to buy the whole thing.

Fake Clarisonic Mia 2 (?)

Guess what?! I got a counterfeit!

Signs you got a counterfeit... 

If you’d check this guideline, my Clarisonic might look authentic. It feels authentic, too! However, upon closer inspection, I found some peculiar things about the device that finally made me think that it’s clearly the counterfeit version. I even managed to use the device without even knowing that it’s fake!

I don’t have an authentic Clarisonic Mia 2 (only a Clarisonic Mia 1) to compare it with, but I believe these signs are worth looking into as well.

PACKAGING

Packaging could tell you a lot about the thing you just bought. My experience on purchasing a Clarisonic taught me to scrutinize the packaging very well.

The fake Clarisonic box I got has a luxurious 'satiny' finish, and it kind of looks 'elegant' and authentic, despite the damages around the corner. This is the very reason why I didn't scrutinize it much at first, because it looked authentic!

See for yourselves!

But this, got me thinking:

According to this other guideline #2, (to be exact), what I got, based on the packaging alone, is FAKE!

And it doesn't end there, it gets worse! Take a good look at the following photos: 

Image 1

If you're sharp, you'd notice that the first sentence alone, doesn't make any sense at all. Punctuation is a little off, and there are obviously clerical mistakes that are unforgivable. Seriously, how could you interpret this: "...obstructio ns [sic] are removed, skin care products can absorb better...". And, I could even place 'sic' all over the box! 

Hard to believe this is actually designed in the US. And I wasn't even that 'sharp' when I first unboxed this.

Wait, there's more! Tell me what is wrong with the following photo? 

Image 2

 How about these two photos?

Image 3

Image 4

LOT / BATCH CODE (located at the bottom of your device)

The batch code is a special code embedded at the bottom of the device. A few years back, the best way to verify if a product is authentic or not, is through product registration at Clarisonic. All you have to do is register the batch code, and you're done!

Batch code (Fake version)

Of course, I did the very same thing as well, and I was able to successfully register my 'fake' device online.

Here's a snapshot:

But, to my surprise, you could actually input (and register) two or more Clarisonics of the same batch code! Red flag! Because counterfeiters could easily copy lot codes from authentic ones!

I tried googling my fake Clarisonic batch code (MT13356A) and got some results, too:

.

Taken from a forum. Look, we got the same batch code! 

There's no sign of MT13356A anywhere, instead, I just got another bunch of random numbers

So, basically, don't just depend on the registration notification.

LABELS

Take a close look at the authentic Mias in the Internet, and you'd soon notice that the spacing between 'Mia' and '2' are not that far.

2 spaces apart? 

BRUSH

Clarisonic is supposed to be a high-end product, and you're not supposed to find anything imperfect with it. And so, my fake Clarisonic did have some minor issues. Whenever I try to attach the brush on to the device, it would always end up askew - no matter how much you twist and turn - it always ends up that way.

Here are some photos of the brush: 

The inner circles are not evenly spaced. Can you see it? 

Fake device in action

The plain normal brush

Underside of the fake brush: with embossed figures, too! 

I couldn't make out most of the words here... 

CHARGING AND BATTERY HOURS

The original Clarisonic Mia utilizes magnets when charging. Of course, being a replica, this version of Clarisonic Mia 2 utilizes magnets as well, the only downside, is that the charger barely adheres to the surface of the device. I had to hold the charger in place to charge my fake Mia. On the other hand, my authentic Clarisonic Mia 1 didn't have such problems.

Basically, this problem alone on my 'Clarisonic Mia 2' indicates that I have indeed purchased a counterfeit version. 

This end here, utilizes magnets

TRAVEL CASE

To my dismay as well, the fake Clarisonic Mia 2, doesn't fit in the travel case it came with. I was indeed better off without it. 

fake Clarisonic Mia 2 travel case

CLEANSER

Just like the original, the fake one included a 'Clarisonic' Refreshing Gel Cleanser as well. I'm glad I didn't put this in the test. Who knows what's inside?!

CONCLUSION

I did regret buying my fake Clarisonic Mia 2, but I'm glad the seller was very kind to take it back and have it refunded. I will not disclose the name of the seller/company I got this from, though. 

In case you're still wondering what I replaced my Mia 2 with, I'm having fun with my new and authentic Clarisonic. I bought the cheaper and older version of the Mia 2, which is the Mia 1, and I love it to bits!

The sad thing about Clarisonic, though, is the availability here in the Philippines. They don't sell to the Philippines at all, and there are no authorized Philippine sellers yet. I asked somebody from the US to buy me one from one of the authorized sellers, and have it shipped internationally.

There are probably some things I missed/ forgot to mention, so please, if there's anything that you could add, please feel free to comment below. 

And if you feel that this would be very useful, feel free to share it to your friends, and relatives. 

Thanks for dropping by! 

Love,

Marie

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Posted by Unknown in clarisonic, clarisonic mia 2, counterfeit, fake, how to

Is your Clarisonic Mia 2 Authentic? Signs You Got a Fake Clarisonic

Review: Too Cool For School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack 100ml

I was extremely ecstatic when I unboxed this product from one of my BDJ Boxes. I've heard quite a lot about Too Cool For School - most of which are raves! The Pumpkin Sleeping Pack is my very first Too Cool For School product, and my very first sleeping pack as well. 

The Too Cool For School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack promises to nourish the skin, and to lock in moisture while you're sleeping. 

Pros:

• Very easy to apply 
• Non-greasy
• Not messy
• A little goes a long way
• Moisturizes well 
• Refreshing 

Cons:

• Not available in the provinces
• Might cause breakouts 

sealed! 

Consistency

The TCFS Pumpkin Sleeping Pack is in the form of a translucent kind of gel. This formulation allows the skin to easily absorb the product in a matter of seconds, depends of course, on one's skin type. Since it absorbs pretty quickly, you really don't have to worry about staining your pillow or your sheets with this sleeping pack. Also, it's colorless, so if in case it comes in contact with your sheets, you would hardly know it's there! 

Too Cool For School Translucent Gel - Pumpkin Sleeping Pack

And since it's gel, there's a refreshing feel to it once applied on the skin. I often find it comfortable and relaxing to use - really ideal for snoozing! 

Its scent reminds me of baby powder, but it's not overbearing at all. There were even times when I could hardly notice the scent. 

Lastly, a little product goes a long, long way. I've been using this regularly for months now - twice a week at most - and I still have lots of product in the tube; I wonder if I could empty a single tube within a year? 

Manufacturing date embedded on the tube

Effectiveness

I use this regularly, twice a week, and I believe that it never fails to moisturize my skin every after application. I love how it moisturizes my skin after hours of sleeping. My skin would always appear healthy and supple in the morning, and throughout the day. Indeed, I could say that it deserves the raves!

One word of caution, though: since it moisturizes quite well, people with oily skin should use this product sparingly, as this could potentially cause minor breakouts. I noticed that I experienced minor breakouts with it, but not too often. 

Other than that, I still find this an excellent skincare product sold at a very reasonable price of Php 689. 

Repurchase?

Yes! I love it to bits! 

How about you? What do you think?

Don't be shy! Comment away!

Love,

Marie

[DISCLAIMER] This is NOT a sponsored or paid advertisement. MARIE (the author of this blog) purchased the said product using her own money. 

Please note that the reviews are not by any chance made by an expert on makeup and skincare; these reviews are all based on the author’s limited knowledge, thoughts, and opinions. 

If you have beauty products that you’d like me to review, let me know!  

Need advertising space? This blog is also open for advertising. Please send me a message to: newbeeworld31@gmail.com

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Posted by Unknown in bdjbox, kbeauty, korean, korean cosmetics, korean skin care, korean skincare, mask, moisturizer, sleeping, sleeping pack, tcfs, too cool for school

Review: Too Cool For School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack 100ml