Nature Republic Haul ♥

I went to the Nature Republic store at Pearlridge Shopping Center about a month ago for the first time. I usually shop at the Nature Republic store at Ala Moana Shopping Center since it is closer to my house; however, the Nature Republic store at Ala Moana Shopping Center did not have one product that I was looking for in particular - the Happy Mate Shoe Spray! The Nature Republic store at Pearlridge Shopping Center seemed a little smaller and seemed to have fewer sales associates, but it also seemed more well stocked. Also, the sales associates at the Nature Republic store at Pearlridge Shopping Center seemed friendlier and more helpful. One sales associate in particular was very kind and helpful ~*^_^*~, but unfortunately I cannot remember her name T_T

I was very happy to find that the Nature Republic store at Pearlridge Shopping Center had the Happy Mate Shoe Spray in stock as well as several other products that I was interested in purchasing which were not in stock at the Nature Republic store in Ala Moana Shopping Center ~*^_^*~

Here are the products that I purchased:

1. Happy Mate Shoe Spray (Soft Floral) - Cost: $10.90

I absolutely love this shoe spray from Nature Republic. I have been using this product daily for about a year now and this is the fourth time that I have purchased this product. I love how they packaged the shoe spray to look like a cute little penguin!~♥ The cute packaging makes smelly feet seem less disgusting in my opinion =P

This product comes in two scents - Fresh Herb and Soft Floral. The Fresh Herb scent is not as strong and perfect for guys (it has a non-girly scent =P) whereas the Soft Floral scent is a bit stronger. I chose the Soft Floral scent because my shoes tend to get smelly T_T

This product is extremely simple and easy to use. Here are the directions on the spray can:

1) Turn the shoes of the penguin in the direction of the arrow to open the spray.

2) When the nozzle in the shoes is exposed, insert the nozzle in the direction of the front side of the shoes and gently press downward. (* I usually add 2 sprays to each shoe after each wear.)

3) Wear shoes after they dry.

If you have concerns about the scent of your feet and/or shoes, I highly recommend trying this product!


2. Argan Essential Deep Care Shampoo & Conditioner - Cost: $12.90/each (Total Cost: $25.80)

I was particularly interested in trying this shampoo and conditioner because it contained Argan oil. Argan oil has been known and proven to make hair softer, silkier, and shinier. It can also be used to help treat split ends and to tame frizzy hair. I first heard about Nature Republic's Argan hair care line through the Korean beauty program, "Get it Beauty". "Get it Beauty" selected the Argan Essential Deep Care Hair Pack as one of the best hair masks/packs. Here are the product descriptions that were listed on each bottle:

Shampoo Description: "This shampoo enriched with highly-concentrated organic argan oil is for extremely-damaged hair."

Conditioner Description: "This conditioner enriched with highly-concentrated organic argan oil is for extremely-damaged hair."

(HOW TO USE: After fully wetting hair with water, apply an appropriate amount of shampoo to hair and the scalp, fully lather, and wash off with lukewarm water. After shampooing hair, dispense an appropriate amount of conditioner onto your palm and apply to hair, concentrating on damaged hair, and wash off with lukewarm water.)

Since it is often very humid in Hawaii, my hair tends to get frizzy. I am often looking for products to tame my frizzy and unruly hair. I was hoping that this shampoo and conditioner would work wonders for my frizzy and some times unruly hair; however, they have not lived up to my full expectations. Perhaps I set my expectations too high? =P

My hair does seem a bit softer and silkier since I started using these products (I'm not too sure about shinier); however, I was personally disappointed by the fact that it was not able to better tame my frizzy hair.

3. California Aloe Power Lasting Sun Spray (SPF 50+ & PA+++) - Cost (on Sale): $10.45 (I believe the regular price was about $20.00)

I always apply liquid sunscreen every day before I apply my makeup; however, sunscreen does not last all day and should be reapplied at least once or twice throughout the day (especially if you will be in the sun for a long period of time). Since reapplying liquid sunscreen can be difficult, especially if you have a full face of makeup on, the easiest way to reapply sunscreen to your face is with a sunscreen spray.

With this in mind, I have been looking for a good sunscreen spray that has high SPF and high PA levels for quite some time. I know that sunscreen sprays have been around for awhile, but I usually find that most American brand sunscreen sprays leave your skin feeling a bit sticky and/or have a strong "sunscreen scent". I was looking for a sunscreen spray that would not leave my skin feeling sticky nor have a "sunscreen scent".

According to the description on the can, this sunscreen has brightening, wrinkle-improving, and UV protection benefits and is described as "an effective, long-lasting 1-second multiactive sun milk for all outdoor activities." This sunscreen spray is very light, easy to apply, and seems to be fragrance free (if there is a scent, it is very light). Also, it will not leave your face feeling sticky like some sunscreen sprays ~*^_^*~

On the downside, this sunscreen spray is fairly expensive if you purchase it at regular price, so I may reconsider purchasing this product again...

(HOW TO USE: Shake the product well (at least more than 6 times), and spray onto the parts of your body that will be exposed to the sun. And evenly spray over your face from a distance of 20 cm. Spray during the day and after makeup application for better results.)

4. Body Wash - Green Tea - Cost: $13.90

This Green Tea body wash, priced at $13.90, is fairly expensive in my opinion and in consideration of the cost of this product, I am not sure whether I would purchase this product again. Although this product is described as being a "rich and creamy body wash that provides long-lasting moisture with green tea scent", the benefits of this product does not seem to justify its cost in my opinion. This body wash will leave your skin feeling hydrated and soft; however, I have used many other body washes that I felt were more moisturizing. To put it simply, if you live somewhere that has very dry weather, you will still need to use a good moisturizer after coming out of the shower.

The main reason why I decided to purchase this product was because of its nice green tea scent. The words "Green Tea" on the bottle immediately caught my attention. I love green tea! ~*^_^*~ Since I rarely see green tea scented products, I really wanted to purchase this product. So yes, I spent $13.90 to buy a nice smelling body wash, which does not seem like the best reason to justify my purchase of this product when I really think about it T_T

(HOW TO USE: Dispense an appropriate amount onto a bath sponge, and lather and rub your body in a massaging motion, and then wash off with lukewarm water.)

If you are interested in purchasing this product, be sure that you absolutely love the scent since this product does not really have any other added benefits. I believe the Nature Republic body wash line has about 10 different scents to choose from.

5. Nature's Deco Soft Touch Flocked Puff (2 Pieces) - Cost: $2.90

This was the first time that I purchased any type of makeup applicator from Nature Republic. The quality of the puff seems good, not the best, but good enough for its purpose. There were 2 puffs inside the package; however, I immediately took out 1 puff upon exiting the store since the puff in my powder pact was in such bad condition.

I was looking for just the right size puff for my It's Skin powder pact that I purchased a couple years ago in Korea. I was happy to find just the right replacement puff at Nature Republic ~*^_^*~

All the Free Samples!...After spending about a total of $67.00 at Nature Republic that day, I received the following free samples with my purchase:

Argan Essential Deep Care Shampoo (Left) & Argan Essential Deep Care Hair Pack (Right)

Argan 20 Mask Sheet

Bath & Nature Apple Mango Body Wash

~♥~Happy Girl's Day!~♥~

This will be a short and quick post. 

I just wanted to wish all my female blog readers a very "Happy Girl's Day!"

I went to Shirokiya at Ala Moana Shopping Center last week and browsed around the Girl's Day doll displays. I couldn't help but take a couple pictures of some of the cute and beautiful dolls on display for sale.

Most of the dolls are quite expensive and are usually (on average) $100 to $300 each. I believe the Japanese Precious Moments' Girl's Day doll (pictured in the upper left hand corner) was about $180. Therefore, most girls (that I know of at least) usually only have one or two dolls.

When I returned home from work today, I was pleasantly surprised to find a small Girl's Day gift on my dresser from my parents - my favorite Girl's Day snack and some spending money! ^_^

My favorite Girl's Day snack is not a traditional Japanese Girl's Day snack (I think...I am actually not too sure, but I do not believe so...). I believe it is just a Japanese snack that is specially designed and packaged for Girl's Day by a company in Hawaii. If anyone knows more about this snack, please leave a comment below. Apparently, I don't know much about this snack T_T other than the fact that it is super yummy! ^_^ All I know is that this snack has been around for as long as I can remember, and can always be found in a similar style packaging every Girl's Day in Hawaii.

There are about 10 to 15 individually wrapped snacks within the larger plastic package, and each snack is packaged to look like a little kokeishi doll. Each kokeishi doll (i.e. snack) has one peanut and one piece of arare (also known as kakimochi or mochi crunch in Hawaii).

This snack can be purchased at Longs/CVS (our local drugstore), Shirokiya, most Japanese markets (e.g. Don Quijote, Marukai, etc.), some local grocery stores (e.g. Times), and maybe at the Walmart on Keaumoku for usually about $5 to $8 per bag.

Various Samples - Laneige, Estee Lauder, Isa Knox, & Faceshop ♥ REVIEW

As I mentioned in a prior post, I recently discovered that I had a large stash of samples which I did not use, and have been slowly trying to use these samples since then. Below is a short review of some of the samples that I have been using recently:

-♥- LANEIGE Perfect Professional Makeup Remover - Multi Cleanser VS. Foaming Cleanser -♥-

Gift w/ Purchase?: Yes, from Amore Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii
Minimum Purchase Required?: No
Regular Price for Full Size Product: About $22.00 to $25.00

I previously talked about the Laneige Multi Cleanser in my YouTube Skin Care Routine video that I created in April 2011. In 2011, I used the Laneige Multi Cleanser religiously - everyday (day & night). It was my favorite cleanser during my college days! This is a great cleanser for people who are looking for one simple product that basically "does it all" (e.g. removes makeup, gently exfoliates, etc.) and/or are on a limited budget.

Around 2012 (or maybe it was 2013?), I was informed by a sales associate at the Amore Hawaii store in Palama Market that the Laneige Multi Cleanser (pictured below) was no longer available. According to the sales associate, at that time, it seemed as though the Multi Cleanser was repackaged. It appeared the Multi Cleanser was repackaged and renamed. The "new Multi Cleanser" was now called the Laneige Foaming Cleanser. After the Multi Cleanser was supposedly repackaged, I was somewhat skeptical to try the Foaming Cleanser since I was not sure whether it would be just as good =P The biggest differences between the Multi Cleanser and the Foaming Cleanser (other than in name) was in color, texture, and description.

Color: Although it may be difficult to tell from the picture below, the Multi Cleanser is light pink, whereas the Foaming Cleanser is white.

Texture: The texture of the Foaming Cleanser seems to be smoother and gentler (upon application) in comparison to the Multi Cleanser. I am not sure exactly why the texture of the Foaming Cleanser seems to be smoother; however, perhaps it is because there are less micro-scrubbing beads? If anyone knows, please leave a comment below. If you have sensitive skin, I would recommend using the Foaming Cleanser instead of the Multi Cleanser.

Description:

Multi Cleanser - Makeup removing, foam cleansing and micro-scrubbing 3-in-1 effect providing soft and clean feeling after wash.

Foaming Cleanser - Moisturizing foaming cleanser gently removes impurities and makeup residues while leaving skin hydrated.

(Note: I researched the Laneige Multi Cleanser and the Laneige Foaming Cleanser online and found that the Multi Cleanser and the Foaming Cleanser may be two entirely different products. Since 2012 (or 2013) it appears that these two products were repackaged (again). The new Multi Cleanser, which was repackaged in a blue tube, is described as a "multi-action, foaming cleanser for fresher-looking skin. Exfoliating papaya sweeps away dead surface skin; micro-cellular beads gently remove impurities, melting away sunscreen and makeup. Instantly brightens." The Laneige Foaming Cleanser appears to have been repackaged in a pink tube and renamed  - Foam Cleanser Moisture. The Foam Cleanser Moisture is described as a cleanser that "contains Shea Butter and Amino Acids for efficacious moisturizing. Its rich lather cleanses the skin gently while it is tough on skin's impurities.")

-♥- ESTEE LAUDER Soft Clean Tender Creme Cleanser -♥-

Gift w/ Purchase?: Yes, from Macy's at Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu, HI
Minimum Purchase Required?: Yes, around $50.00
Regular Price for Full Size Product: $28.00 at Macy's

I received this free sample a couple years ago when I purchased the Estee Lauder Time Zone Anti-Line/Wrinkle Eye Creme from Macy's. This Soft Clean Tender Creme Cleanser sample came with several other Estee Lauder samples in a pretty make up pouch. I believe I had to spend around $50.00 to receive this free gift.

I found this cleanser to be really "unique" in several ways (which I will write about in more detail below); however, it may not be very unique at all.

First of all, I would like to point out that this cleanser is best for people with dry skin. Normally, I do not buy or look for cleansers that are meant for people with dry skin since I usually have combination to oily skin. Therefore, I am not familiar with cleansers that are best for people with dry skin. If I did not receive this free sample, I probably would not have considered purchasing this cleanser. Since I am not familiar with cleansers that are best for people with dry skin, this cleanser may not be very unique at all.

I generally purchase and enjoy using foam or gel type cleansers. I usually find that these types of cleansers work best with my skin. This was the first time that I used a cream type cleanser. The Soft Clean Tender Creme Cleanser is described as being a "rich soufflé [that] cushions skin as it gently cleanses." According to the instructions on the back of the tube, you massage this cleanser onto dry skin and tissue off. I never had to "tissue off" cleanser before, this in itself was a new experience for me (which I did not care for personally).

After using this cleanser, I realized that I like cleansers that I can wash off completely. I like that super clean feeling! The first time that I used this cleanser, I did not understand why I could not seem to remove this cleanser completely. I even washed my face after I "tissued off" the cleanser just to get a more clean feeling. It was not until a couple days later that I fully understood why this cleanser was not meant to be removed completely. After a couple days of using this cleanser, my skin felt a lot more soft and supple. The residue from the cleanser that remains on your skin after you "tissue off" (and even wash off the cleanser) will leave your skin feeling super soft, supple, and very moisturized. 

If you have dry skin, I recommend trying this cleanser. I believe you feel a noticeable difference within a couple days (or maybe even immediately after using it). Although I am not considering purchasing this cleanser for everyday use, I may consider purchasing this cleanser if I am planning on visiting someplace where the weather is very dry.

-♥- ISA KNOX Carezone CK - Deep Cleanser Foam Cleansing -♥-

Gift w/ Purchase?: Yes, from Watsons in Seoul, Korea
Minimum Purchase Required?: No
Regular Price for Full Size Product: About $20.00

I received this free full size foam cleanser a couple years ago when I purchased the Iope Whitegen Ampoule Essence from Watsons in Seoul, Korea. Since the only Isa Knox product that I tried before was a compact powder foundation, I did not feel confident about testing out this product on my skin as I was not familiar with Isa Knox's skin care line. I was primarily concerned with how my skin would react to this cleanser since I tend to have very sensitive skin. This is probably why I delayed trying this product for such a long time.

After using the the Isa Knox Deep Cleanser - Foam Cleansing the first time, I was happy to find that my skin did not have a bad reaction to this cleanser. This cleanser has a nice light scent and I only need about a dime to nickle size amount to cleanse my entire face. From what I understand, I believe this cleanser helps to clean your pores and remove dead skin and make up. I have not tried to remove any strong waterproof make up with this cleaser; however, this cleanser does any excellent job of removing all of the makeup that I use on a regular basis.

If you have dry skin, this may not be the best cleanser for you. This cleanser would be best for people with combination or oily skin types.

-♥- THE FACE SHOP White Tree Snow - Aqua Capsule Sleeping Pack -♥-

Gift w/ Purchase?: Yes, from The Face Shop store in Santa Clara, CA
Minimum Purchase Required?: No
Regular Price for Full Size Product: N/A - I was not able to locate a seller online; however, The Face Shop website still has the product information listed, so it may be available in The Face Shop stores.

I received this White Tree Snow - Aqua Capsule Sleeping Pack sample from The Face Shop store in Santa Clara a couple years ago. The White Tree Snow - Aqua Capsule Sleeping Pack is an "overnight mask with Vitamin Tree and White Lupine Extract." This sleeping pack "provides intense brightening and moisturizing all night." I was particularly interested in trying this sleeping pack because of its "skin brightening" benefits.

This sleeping pack has a light and cool texture which feels very nice on my skin. In terms of texture and color, this sleeping pack is very similar to the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask. However, unlike the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask, this sleeping pack has small white beads/capsules in the gel which seem to dissolve as I apply the sleeping pack to my face. I am not certain as to what the small white beads/capsules are, but it seems that it may be the White Lupine Extract. If any blog readers know what the small white beads/capsules in the sleeping pack are, please let me know in the comment section below.

(Sorry, I was not able to really capture the white beads/capsules in the gel T_T)

The only aspect of this product which I did not care for was the smell. I am not sure how to describe the smell of this product exactly...it is not particularly bad, but it is not pleasant either (at least in my opinion). Since the smell seems to go away after I apply the sleeping pack (maybe within 5 to 10 minutes), the smell does not bother me too much.

I usually apply this sleeping pack once or twice a week. It is a nice break from my normal night time skin care routine. Also, sleeping packs can be especially convenient if you are too tired or too lazy to apply all of your night time skin care products. My night time skin care routine usually consists of 5 or 6 steps/products; however, on days that I apply the sleeping pack to my face before I go to bed, I only apply a little bit of toner (step 1) and then the sleeping pack (step 2) - just 2 steps!

Walgreens Grand Opening Haul ♥

As I mentioned in my last post, I did not purchase too many things; however, I did find a couple great deals, which I was very happy about! ^_^

The first items I picked up were from the beauty section (LOOK boutique) on the 2nd floor of Walgreens.

My purchase was nicely wrapped up in this bag!

I purchased two 1.69 fl. oz. Vichy facial mists (Vichy Thermal Spa Water) at $4.50 each (Regular Price is $9.50). The smaller facial mists are easy to pack in your purse and perfect for traveling (since it is less than 3 fl. oz., you can also take it with you on the plane):

The last item that I picked up was the Tiger Corporation 350 ml Sahara Mug (MMR-A035 PE Power Pink) - only $14.99! Plus, I received $3.00 OFF since I had a $3.00 Walgreens Grand Opening coupon that I cut out from the newspaper =P The total with tax came out to only $12.70! Since Tiger Corporation mugs/thermoses are usually $25.00 to $30.00 (even online), this was a super good deal. I was glad that I did not purchase the Tiger Corporation mug/thermos that I saw in Don Quijote a couple weeks ago, which was almost $30.00!

There were a couple different types of Tiger Corporation mugs/thermoses in different styles and sizes; however, I purchased the smallest sized mug/thermos. I have been looking for a smaller mug/thermos that would easily fit in my purse for some time. This mug/thermos was the perfect size!

It also came with a stainless steel tea strainer attached to the stopper:

If you are looking for a good mug/thermos to carry hot or cold drinks, I highly recommend this mug/thermos. I previously bought two larger Tiger Corporation mugs/thermoses, which I absolutely love! Whenever I pack a drink in this mug/thermos for work, it usually stays hot or cold for the entire work day (assuming that I do not leave the lid off for most of the day). I also love how I can depend on this mug/thermos to not leak if I throw it in my bag.

The only thing that I do not like about this mug/thermos is that it can take some time to clean (if you are really thorough) since it has several parts. Also, if you are not careful and drop this mug/thermos on a hard surface, you may end up with a dent in your mug/thermos since it is made of stainless steel - which happened to me once T_T

{UPDATE: I saw this same mug/thermos in 450 ml when I stopped by Don Quijote last night to pick up some snacks for my trip to Korea in a couple weeks. Although the mug/thermos was larger (at 450 ml instead of 350 ml), it was about $35.00! So expensive T_T I was glad that I found such a good deal at Walgreens ~*^_^*~}

♥ Grand Opening of Walgreens in Ala Moana Area ♥

After much anticipation, the Walgreens across from Ala Moana Shopping Center, and along Keaumoku Street, finally opened today! I went with my family to check out the grand opening festivities. There was a lot less parking than I thought - somehow the parking structure looked so much bigger from the outside...

We went to the store after lunch (around 1 or 2 in the afternoon), and it was packed - there was so much people going in and out of the store! The first thing I did when I got there was make a beeline for the beauty section. The beauty section ("LOOK boutique") is on the second floor of Walgreens.  I was excited to see a lot of make up and skin care brands that I do not usually see in our local drugstores or department stores. There were several skin care and make up brands that I had never seen or heard of before, and there were a couple skin care brands that I had only seen in drugstores in Korea (like Olive Young or Watson).

In particular, I was excited to see that this new Walgreens carried "Vichy" products. Last year when I was in Korea, my friend recommended that I try the Vichy Daily Dark Spot Corrector, which I saw on the shelf in Walgreens today!

The Vichy Daily Dark Spot Corrector is a bit pricey though (about $45.00), so I did not purchase this today. Instead, I picked up 2 Vichy facial mists (Vichy Thermal Spa Water) which were $9.50/each. Luckily, on my way to the check out counter, I found a $5.00 off coupon on Vichy products. Therefore, I ended up paying only $4.95 (including tax) for each Vichy facial mist.

The beauty section in the new Walgreens was nicely organized and designed, and everything looked very modern and trendy. I was also surprised to find a small nail studio in the corner of the beauty section (looks like they offer manicure services?). I am not sure if they also normally offer skin care services, but my Mom said that an employee in the beauty section offered to give her a free facial!

(View of 2nd Floor from Escalator)

After purchasing my items, we headed down to the first floor. The first floor had mostly food items and souvenir/gift items that you would probably find at an ABC store in Waikiki (e.g. beach towels, reef walkers, scented soaps, etc.). Near the entrance on the first floor, there was an area called "Up Market" which sold sushi, frozen yogurt, salads, fresh fruit, and other ready-to-eat food items.

My Dad and I each got a 16 oz. Icee, which was only $0.59 - one of the Grand Opening specials today! ^_^

And my Mom got a small Dole Whip, which was about three or four dollars.

The check out lines were not long (maybe 2 or 3 people in front at the most), and there were an ample number of check out counters to pay at. As a whole the customer service was good (except for the one slightly rude worker in the "Look Boutique" section who seemed a bit grumpy), and there were lots of employees walking around prepared to assist and answer questions.

If you want to read more about the new Walgreens or see more pictures of the store, there is an article about the store on the Pacific Business News website.

I did not purchase too many things at Walgreens today; however, I did find a couple good deals. I will make a second post about my purchases today since this post is getting a bit long and photo heavy =P

Laneige Perfect Renew & Nature Republic Aqua Mist ♥ REVIEW

It has been such a long time since I last posted - more than a year ago! It is amazing how time flies. Work has been keeping me extremely busy, but that should not be an excuse T_T I have not been taking good care of my blog, and I apologize to any readers out there who may have been following my blog.

Over the last several months, I have not bought many new skin care products or make up. I did a major clean-up a couple months ago and reorganized my room. In the process of cleaning up, I found that I had a lot...actually not a lot, but TONS (really!) of samples and full size products that I did not use. I hate throwing away products that I did not use (even if it was free) - it is very wasteful. I did not weigh all the products I had thrown out, but I am quite sure that the total weight of everything I threw out that day was a little less than 10-15 pounds. I really wanted to cry T_T I could not believe that I had been that wasteful. Since that I day, I have been slowly going through all the products I have which I have not used. Below is a small review of some of the products I have been using recently:

-♥- Laneige Perfect Renew Line -♥-

Over the last couple months, I have been using products from the Laniege Perfect Renew line. When I was cleaning up, I found that I had 2 boxes of the Laneige Perfect Renew Full Trial Kit which I never fully used (maybe I had previously used it only once or twice when I traveled). It was a free gift with purchase.

I loved the packaging of this trial kit - it contained small bottles of the full size products, and there were none of those super small samples that only last once or twice and come in that hard plastic packaging that is difficult to rip open (if you know what I mean). It is the perfect skin care travel kit!

The trial kit contained the following 5 products:

1) Laneige Perfect Renew Skin Refiner
2) Laneige Perfect Renew Emulsion
3) Laneige Perfect Renew Essence
4) Laneige Perfect Renew Cream
5) Laneige Perfect Renew Dual Touch Eyes

All the products came in a pretty white box which listed all the products in the trial kit and their ingredients on the back of the box. The products are also listed in the order that they should be used (Skin Refiner being step 1 and Dual Touch Eyes being step 5).

Each product contained a brief description and/or directions on how to use the product on the back, and all of the descriptions and directions were written in English which was a nice added bonus!

I previously purchased and used the Perfect Renew Essence before, but I have not tried any of the other products in this line. From what I have heard about this line, it is great for people who are interested in anti-aging products. According to the Laneige website, these products are "infused with LANEIGE’s exclusive anti-aging ingredients, Ceramide Corrective Water and Skin Recharger Complex™, are clinically proven to reverse visible signs of aging."

So far I have used up everything except the emulsion and "Dual Touch Eyes" eye cream samples. As a whole, all the products in the line are light and have a watery texture. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the cream was not thick or greasy, but very light and moisturizing - perfect for my oily to combination skin. I also enjoyed using the "Dual Touch Eyes" eye cream, which is packaged in two small separate containers -"Dual Touch Eye Day Cream" and "Dual Touch Eye Night Gel".

According to the description on the back, the "Dual Touch Eye Day Cream" has the following benefits:

• Brightens eye area by gently absorbing into skin.
• Gives anti-aging effect by preventing skin aging from UV light.
  

and Dual Touch Eye Night Gel has the following benefits:

• Concentrated gel absorbs into skin caring first sign of aging.
• Moisturizing and aging care penetrates deeply into the skin overnight, give smoothness to eye area.

(Front)

(Back)

I always purchase my Laneige products through our Amore Hawaii store at Palama Market; however, the Laneige website shows that the emulsion, cream, and a firming eye cream can be purchased through Target if you are interested in trying any of these products. The Laneige website shows that prices range from $35.00 (for the emulsion) to $55.00 (for the cream).

-♥- Nature Republic Aqua - Super Aqua Max Facial Mist -♥-

I picked up this product on Black Friday last year while looking around the Nature Republic store at Ala Moana for a good facial mist. I love facial mists! They are easy to use, mess free, and most facial mists can be applied before or after putting on make up. If you like that dewy/moist type of look which is very popular in Korea, I recommend purchasing a facial mist. I often use a facial mist in the middle of the day, when my skin starts looking or feeling dry.

Description: This refreshing, cooling facial mist provides moisture to dry skin and revitalizes tired skin as its minute spray works on the entire face.

How to Use: Whenever the skin feels dry, spray to face while closing eyes, and gently pat to enhance absorption. It can be used after using our toner or after applying a makeup.

Costs: I can't remember exactly how much it cost; however, if I recall correctly, I believe the Black Friday price (10% off the regular price) was about $10.00 for the 3.38 fl. oz. can.

Rainbow Beauty Mini Haul ♥ REVIEW

Rainbow Beauty Sense of Care Hand Cream

I recently purchased two Rainbow Beauty Sense of Care Hand Creams w/ Shea Butter (and Paraben free) from a small vendor at one of my Korean Drama meetings.

I must admit I was initially drawn to the product's cute packaging (as always, I love products w/ cute packaging! ^_^).  Fortunately, the vendor had samples, so I could test the hand cream prior to purchasing it.

I decided to use the lavender hand cream first, and so far, I absolutely love it! Usually I don't care for products with a strong lavender scent, but this hand cream has a very mild pleasant lavender scent.

I also love this hand cream because it's not super thick and creamy. I love hand creams with shea butter, like L'Occitane's Shea Butter Hand Cream, because they're very moisturizing. However, I also find that they tend to leave my skin with a "greasy" feeling for a while afterwards. Rainbow Beauty's hand cream may leave your hands with a slight "greasy" feeling at first, but it absorbs quickly and the "greasy" feeling goes away after a couple minutes.

• PRODUCT: Sense of Care Hand Cream (4 Scents Available: Olive, Lavender, Sakura & Rose). I purchased the lavender and rose scented hand creams. You can learn more about this product at the Rainbow Beauty Website.
• SIZE: 1.18 oz - The perfect size to carry on the airplane and fit in your purse. This hand cream only comes in one size. 
• FUNCTION: Each scented hand cream has a slightly different function/"skin benefit".
• Olive - "The olive extract rejuvenates and moisturizes rough hands creating vibrant-looking hands. Absorbs quickly and protects your skin from dehydration."
• Lavender - "The lavender extract rejuvenates and calms rough hands creating vibrant-looking hands. Absorbs quickly and protects your skin from dehydration."
• Sakura - "The Sakura extract rejuvenates and moisturizes rough hands creating vibrant-looking hands. Absorbs quickly and protects your skin from dehydration."
• Rose - "The rose extract and other flower extracts moisturize dry hands creating soft and smooth hands. Absorbs quickly and protects your skin from dehydration."
• COST: The vendor I purchased my hands creams from was selling the hands creams as a set - 2 hand creams for $10.00 + 1 free facial mask. I looked at various websites on the Internet, and it seems that this hand cream is selling anywhere from $4.20 - $12.00 per bottle. 
• OVERALL THOUGHTS ✯✯✯✯✯: Overall I love this product and I would have to give it a 5/5 - the packaging is cute, both scents that I bought are pleasant and mild (perfect for people who don't like hand creams with strong scents), reasonably priced, quickly absorbs and keeps my hands feeling very moisturized.

My $10.00 hand cream purchase also came with a free brightening sheet mask:

I've never used this brand, but it looks like a good sheet mask =P The vendor was also selling other sheet masks from this line at her booth. I believe these sheet masks were selling for $1.00 - $2.00 per mask. I love how the description and directions are written in English and Korean on the back of the mask - simple and easy to use!

The vendor also gave me free Daeng Gi Meo Ri shampoo and hair treatment samples. I am not sure how popular this brand is in Korea, but it is very popular among the Korean community in Hawaii. I know a lot of people who use this hair care line. I heard the smell of this "oriental shampoo" can be a little strong and perhaps a little strange for some people since it has a strong herbal scent, but I also heard a lot of good things about this shampoo. I am looking forward to trying it! ^__^