Review: Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly BB

I recently tried out the Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly BB, and I've got some mixed feelings about it. Holika Holika is a Korean brand, and if you don't know, the Korean beauty creators are the OGs of the BB (Beauty Balm) craze. Typically Korean BBs and beauty philosophy in general, differ from the Western creation of the BB. Korean BBs tend to have more coverage and offer more skin benefits compared to Western BBs.

The Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly BB has gathered a good amount of hype from both Korean beauty gurus and Western beauty gurus. Naturally I was excited to test it out.

First things first, the packaging is obviously adorable. The BB is housed in a glass bottle, which is great quality. Once you unscrew the top you'll notice there is a wand attached. This is meant to be the applicator, it looks kind of like a spatula. I'm not the biggest fan of these types of applicators because they can be unhygienic, but at least it's plastic instead of a sponge "doe foot" applicator.

There are unfortunately only two shades to pick from for this BB. I chose shade #1 and luckily it matched me perfectly.The consistency of the BB is creamy but also a bit watery, which I found odd. When I first applied it, the formula seemed as though it was having a hard time blending in. Almost like it was separating on my skin. But after a bit of working it in, it did blend evenly. There is also a really nice cooling sensation as your're applying, which is great if you have irritated skin. The coverage is sheer but buildable to medium and the finish is a demi-matte, so it's ideal for combo to oily skin types.

I tried this formula with and without a primer, honestly I prefer to wear it without a primer. I found it was more difficult to blend in with a primer and I also found it separated on my skin more throughout the day.

With that said, this is not a long wearing BB. I'd say it looks good for about 4-5 hours. By the end of the day (9 hour wear) most of the coverage around my nose, chin and jaw had disappeared. My skin was also pretty dewy by the end of the day, which I didn't mind, it actually added a really nice looking glow!

Overall I would rate this BB 6 out of 10. The color is perfect for me, but if you are a medium to medium deep skin tone, I would not recommend getting even shade #2. The coverage is nice, it just evens out the skin tone but allows your natural skin to show through. The consistency throws me off and it's a bit hard to work with. I've found the BB applies best with either a synthetic brush or a cushion poof. Both fingers and a classic sponge leave my skin looking patchy. The finish is exactly what I was looking for, it's beautiful and super natural. The longevity of this BB was disappointing. I was hoping it would last longer than 4-5 hours, but if you're looking for something for casual everyday wear I'd say it's worth trying.

Thanks for reading!

FOTD: Rose Gold Halo Eye

Here's my FOTD:

Face:

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer
Dior Diorskin Star Foundation
NYX HD Concealer
Make Up Forever HD Powder
Benefit Hoola Bronzer
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Diffused Light
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Dim Infusion

Brows:

Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade Blonde
Bobbi Brown Brow Gel Clear

Eyes:

Bh Cosmetics 120 Color Palette 3rd Edition
L'oreal Voluminous Mascara Black
Salon Perfect Demi Wispies Lashes

Lips:

Maybelline The Nudes Lipstick Nude Lust

Review: Tony Moly Sheet Masks

Here's a quick little review on the Tony Moly sheet masks:

SPOILER ALERT, these masks are amazing!

Tony Moly is a Korean based beauty company that provides unique products at an affordable price tag. Not to mention the adorable packaging, these sheet masks are no exception! I tested out both the Red Wine Pore Care Sheet Mask and the Aloe Moisturizing Sheet Mask. The masks are made from a nice material, it's a fibrous cloth that is soaked in the product. The masks fit my face nicely and didn't slide off. Although I do prefer a sheet mask that is made out of a cellulose material, the material chosen for this mask makes sense, given the price ($7.50 for a two pack at Sephora). The masks contain just the right amount of product, there is enough to ensure the mask doesn't dry out during it's wear time, but also not so much that it drips everywhere.

Results:

Red Wine:

I found that my face looked hydrated and smooth. My pores looked noticeably smaller, however I wasn't a fan of the residue left on my face. It was a tad sticky. It's nothing that turns me off completely, just a bit annoying. Overall the results were what I was looking for.

Aloe:

This mask was my favorite of the two. It made my skin so glowy and soft. My face looked plump and supple and the dry patches on my skin had been quenched. Since this mask is formulated with Aloe the amount of inflammation and redness on my face was significantly reduced. Also, the residue left over was much less sticky.

If you're in the market for a new sheet mask, I would highly recommend these!

Some Product Shots I Forgot About

I was just browsing through some old photos and came upon these product shots I took from this past holiday season. Even though it's March, I'm wishing everyone Happy Holidays and Happy Days!

My FOTD and Mini Review: Diorskin Forever Perfect Makeup

Product Deets:

Face:
Laura Mercier Primer OriginalDiorskin Forever 010NYX HD Concealer 01 and 04Laura Mercier Translucent PowderBenefit Hoola BronzerTarte 12 Hr Amazonian Clay Blush ExposedHourlgass Ambient Lighting Powder Diffused Light

Brows:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade BlondeBobbi Brown Brow Mascara Clear

Eyes:
Lorac Pro Taupe in crease and lower lidTartelette Tease: Whisper all over and concentrated under brow and inner corner, Crush and First Kiss on lid, Heartbreaker in outer corner/outer creaseMarc Jacobs Velvet Noir Mascara Ardell Demi Wispies cut in half

Lips:
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick NosferatuBite Beauty Matte Creme Crayon Cognac

Here's a mini review of the new Diorskin Forever Perfect Makeup:

According to Sephora.com this foundation claims to be a non-oily demi-matte finish that provides even color correcting coverage and a 16 hour wear. I would agree with this description for the most part. It's definitely a demi-matte finish with a bit of luminosity and it also gives amazing coverage/color correction without looking heavy. However I think the 16 hour wear claim is a bit of an overstatement. The foundation looked nice on my skin for about 7 hours, but beyond that it was looking patchy around my blemishes and oily areas. I could also really feel it on my skin by the end of the day, so it was a bit uncomfortable. It will probably stay on your skin for 16 hours, but it's not going to be pretty! All in all, I'd still say it's a great base.

Stats:

Grade: A-

Price: $50 USD

Ounces: 1 oz (standard)

Formulation: Liquid

Finish: Demi-Matte

Wear: 9-10 hours

Review: Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Mascara

I am absolutely in love with the new Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Mascara. Let me breakdown why:

1. The formula is wet enough to build volume, but not so wet that it clumps everything together/weighs the lashes down. It also has a bit of a whipped texture that creates a beautiful feathery texture.

2. The brush shape is genius. The hourglass curvature lets you to build volume where the brush is fat and comb through the lashes where the brush is thin. This allows you to both separate and plump.

3. The formula doesn't flake or smudge. This is perhaps my biggest qualm with non-water proof formulas. I usually end up with mascara under my bottom lashes, however my lower lid stayed squeaky clean!

4. And finally, the packaging is classy AF.


More info:

Price: $26.00
Formulated without: Parabens, Sulfates, Phthalates (sephora.com) 

Top Tips for Achieving Your Goals in 2016

We all want to start the new year out right. For many it's the best time to start fresh and set new goals. Here are some things that have helped me achieve some of my own goals!

1. Be realistic. 

This one might seem obvious, but I think it's important to remind yourself of what that means. Being realistic doesn't have to mean limiting yourself. It just means setting a goal that you can actually achieve. Push yourself, but don't fall off the edge.

2. Garner support.

Tell your closest friends/family about your goals for the new year. Having support from people you care about has been proven time and time again to be beneficial in achieving goals. Surround yourself with the people that will be rooting for you. Think about it this way, if your running a race, is it more motivating to finish with nobody cheering you on or lots of people cheering you on?

3. Save the date.

Set up a time frame for yourself. Whether that be a weekly agenda or a date that you want to complete your goal by. Having a deadline will help to keep your goal on the forefront of your mind.

4.  Visualize yourself achieving your goal. 

This is a technique that has helped me a lot. Visualization helped me win races when I was a swimmer, equestrian competitions when I was an Equestrian, ace exams in school and over all be more confident in myself. Set aside time for yourself, maybe before your go to bed or when you wake up in the morning, to visualize how your going to conquer your goal. If you already know how you're going to do it, doing it becomes a lot easier.

5. Reward yourself.  

Think of a way to reward yourself along the way to success. Having little rewards as checkpoints can give you more motivation to push through until the end. This sets up your goal as more of a game rather than a task.

I hope some of these were helpful to you in some way or another! Happy New Year to all!