Review - Innisfree Mineral Jelly Pact SPF36 PA++ #13 & #21

Since I have some time on my hands, I thought that I'd type up a quick review on Innisfree's Mineral Jelly Pact SPF36 PA++. I happen to have two shades - #13 Light Beige and #21 Natural Beige - reason being that I vaguely remember Missha's #21 was a tad too dark for me, figured all Korean foundation shades would be quite similar, and decided to try #13 first. If it worked, great; if it didn't, there's always next time.

First BeautyNetKorea order plus possibly last TesterKorea purchase

Alright, I'll admit, I've been obsessed with TesterKorea; this is my 4th purchase from them in as many months! Their Brands Sale section used to be so good; 30% discount on everything including my favourite Korean brand Innisfree. Sadly, this discount was recently reduced to 20% and excludes items under 3,500 KRW (that's masks out then!)

Having to pay shipping on top means that TesterKorea's overall prices are nowhere near as competitive as they used to be.

As a result, I've started shopping from an alternative store, BeautyNetKorea, who offers free shipping on everything, and therefore works out to be cheaper for small purchases.

I placed my BeautyNetKorea order on the 1st and it arrived today, so speed wise they're faster than TesterKorea, where orders take a week to be dispatched then at least another week to arrive. I'm not a fan of BNK's slow loading website or the busy layout, but I can live with these if the prices/service are good.

Everything was individually wrapped with bubble wrap and arrived in perfect condition. At the time of purchase, these products were not available from TesterKorea.

Other than samples, I got:
Secret Key Snow White Cleansing Foam - Like Innisfree & The Saem, Secret Key is another natural Korean brand
Secret Key Gold Premium First Eye Patch
Secret Key Snail 97 Soothing Gel
The Saem Saemmul Aura Liquid Highlighter #1 Pink Light, #2 Gold Light
The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Firming Seed Sleeping Pack
The Saem Saemmul Smile Bebe Blusher #1 Rose Pink, #2 Mango Peach

Who knows, if TesterKorea has better promotions in the future, I'll return. For the time being though, I'll take a break from hauling products - have so much to get through (plus there's more on the way) that I've had to start a spreadsheet to keep track of everything >.<

What could possibly my last TesterKorea order:

I restocked on 8 boxes of Innisfree Yummy Collagen With Jeju Soybean. Really is delicious stuff!

While I appreciate being sent samples, I prefer to stick to the natural brands (e.g. Innisfree, The Saem, Beyond). Therefore most samples I get just end up end up in the bin =(

Innisfree Jejubija Anti-Trouble Spot Essence - Supposed to be good for the occasional spot
Innisfree Jeju Peach Hand Cream
Innisfree Jeju Hallabong Hand Cream
Innisfree Jeju Lotus Hand Cream - I love Innisfree hand creams!!
Innisfree Gel Liner in #9 Brown Travelling Bag and #10 Chic Black
Innisfree Serum CC Cream Brightening SPF 30 PA++
Innisfree Canola Honey Lip Balm #01 Deep Moisture
Innisfree Eco Flower Tint Balm
Innisfree Smart Make Up Blender
Innisfree Smart Make Up Blender Moisture
Innisfree Eco Safety Perfect Sunblock SPF50+ PA+++
Innisfree Mineral Jelly Pact 10g SPF32 PA+++ #21
Innisfree Quick & Easy Sponge Nail Remover
Innisfree Real Skin Color Control Cream SPF30 PA++
Innisfree Mineral Stick Concealer #02 Natural Beige
Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Essence
Innisfree Eco Science Eye Mask
The Saem Animal Farm Hand & Nail Cream Golden Egg-Laying Hen - How cute is this?!
The Saem Gold Snail Smile-Wrinkle Line Gel Patch - Looked interesting; have never seen these before.
The Saem Gem Miracle Black Pearl O2 Bubble Mask

Phew! That's quite a few products... No wonder I need a spreadsheet to keep track!

Innisfree Shadow Pencil - Review & Swatches

With the exception of the white one on the left, these Innisfree Shadow Pencils were purchased recently from TesterKorea, at a 30% discount, making each pencil only 5,250 KRW (excluding shipping). Although it's unlikely that I'll use all of these colours, I got one of each anyway since they were so cheap.

I don't know why they have different packaging - some are plain, others have blue dots. Could be that they were manufactured on different dates.

Official swatches - these are rather accurate for the most part

Although I like that these pencils are easy to use (no sharpener required!), the package disguises the fact that there's not a lot of product (2.5g). They could really be made much smaller to save space.

They're very smooth to apply, which is good for the delicate area, but their staying power is a little too good; between swatches, I had to rub vigoriously with baby wipes to remove them from my arm.

Shades #1, #2, and #3 are sheer, shimmery and better suited for highlighting or layering.

I actually noticed the Shadow Pencil being used in episode 8 of this Korean Beauty Drama 달콤청춘 that I've been watching. This entire series is pretty much an advert for Innisfree, as the protagonist uses exclusively Innisfree products, but is still fun to watch for the odd skincare/makeup tip.

From left to right (names according to TesterKorea's website) - #1 Snow on the Branches, #2 Pink Aurora, #3 Sandy Beach

Left to right - #5 Milk Tea, #6 Beige, #7 Brown City, #8 Ocean Blue, #10 Starlight Grey

I left out #4 (peach/pink) and #9 (white/purple) because, unlike the others, these are "dual type" pencils that consist of two colours. You have the option to apply the colours on their own, or blend them together. 

Interesting concept, though I'd have preferred the colours in separate pencils.

#4 Cherry Blossoms

#9 Lavender - at first glance, the white half looks like #1 Snow on the Branches, but when swatched, you can see the difference. #1 is pure white, whereas the white part of #9 has a slight pink tone to it.

I 100% recommend picking up these eyeshadow pencils for their convenience and versatility, provided that you're able to get them for a good price of course!

Innisfree The Minimum Cleansing Lotion Review

Innisfree's "The Minimum" is a skincare line formulated with very few ingredients . Aimed at sensitive/dry skin types, it's a super gentle cleanser suitable for daily use. There are 6 products (cleansing lotion, facial cleanser, toner, moist cream, fresh cream & ampoule essence) in this line, but I only got the cleansing lotion because I'm currently very happy with my HABA skincare products, and wanted something for the days when my skin feels a bit sensitive.

 Innisfree The Minimum Cleansing Lotion, 90ml

Cleansing can be a pain for my combination skin, because the cleansers either don't feel they give a thorough enough clean, or leave my cheeks feeling a bit dry & tight. This mild lotion is perfect for mornings when all I need to wash off is the previous night's sleeping pack, and it leaves my skin feeling baby soft - I've never had issues with dryness after cleansing with this. Depending on my mood, I'll either massage it on my face with fingers, or use my Foreo Luna Mini.

I find that it isn't great at removing makeup, especially if it's waterproof; I'd need to go over it again with another cleanser. Other than that, this is a solid choice for quick morning wash. It doesn't really have a fragrance, which is good if scented cleansers aren't your thing.

There are only 10 ingredients:

Water, dicaprylyl carbonate, propanediol, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, 1,2-hexanediol, xanthan gum, sclerotium gum, sodium stearoyl glutamate, cetearyl glucoside

Retail price: 8,000 KRW, purchased from TesterKorea

Innisfree Yummy Collagen With Jeju Soybean

Out of all the collagen supplements I've tried in the past, these Innisfree Yummy Collagen With Jeju Soybean sticks are by far the most delicious. Packaged in portable 12g sachets, they're perfect for carrying around too.

I've previously finished 3 boxes (21 sachets total), and have recently repurchased 5 more boxes from TesterKorea.

Each sachet contains 2000mg of marine collagen, and can be consumed either alone or diluted in water. Since they're so delicious (grape flavoured?), I prefer to drink straight from the sachet.



I've started my day with one sachet in the morning for the past three weeks, and to my surprise, have actually noticed a minor improvement in that my pores appear to be a tiny bit smaller and that my skin has more of a glow to it. Although the difference so far has only been very slight, at only 7,000 KRW per box (approx £4.50), these are much cheaper than most collagen supplements, so I'll continue to take them. In fact, I've just placed another order for more.

To save space, I've stashed the sachets in my Rilakkuma mini backpack :D

Innisfree products from TesterKorea

TesterKorea is my new go to place for Korean skincare/cosmetics. Granted, I only purchase Innisfree (paraben & mineral oil free brand) these days, but they are by far the cheapest with their 30% Innisfree discount. However, the trade off is that there's always a long wait for orders to be shipped. 

This is my 3rd TesterKorea order, placed on February 14th, but it wasn't shipped till March 12th! According to their policy, if it takes longer than 7 business days for them to ship, they'll upgrade the order to EMS, which is exactly what happened with mine.

As far as I'm aware, TK has been backlogged with orders from the lunar new year, and the fact my order was pretty big probably didn't help either :p 

Anyway, here's what I ordered:

Innisfree Face Designing Duo #01 Cozy Afternoon Sunlight
Innisfree Mineral Highlighter #09 Pink and #10 Starlight Gold
Innisfree Mineral Blusher #02 Pink - think I ordered the wrong shade though, I was not expecting it to look this pigmented!
Innisfree Soybean Firming Neck Cream
Innisfree Eco Science Wrinkle Spot Essence
Innisfree Green Tea Pure Gel Hand Cream - love Innisfree hand creams! They smell wonderful and are cheap too!
Innisfree Mineral Melting Foundation #Glow
Innisfree Ampoule Intense Cushion SPF34 PA++ #13 Light Beige
Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Nose Pack
Innisfree Camellia Essential Hair Oil Serum
9 x Innisfree Shadow Pencil - I got all of them except for #01 which I already own, so I now have a full set!
Innisfree Soy Lash Ampule - it's supposed to make your eyelashes longer & thicker
Innisfree Whitening Pore Eye Cream
Innisfree Whitening Pore Cream
Innisfree Whitening Pore Synergy Serum
Innisfree Whitening Pore Skin
5 boxes of Innisfree Yummy Collagen with Jeju Soybean (7 sachets per box) - most delicious and convenient collagen sticks. I've just finished 3 boxes, and will definitely be ordering more.

And as much as I appreciate samples, TesterKorea may have gone a little overboard this time by sending me 50 (!!!) sachets of Skin79 Super++ Beblish Balm Bronze... Since I never use bronzing products, these will just end up in the bin.

Small Innisfree haul from Koreadepart & review

I used to visit Gmarket periodically, but for several reasons listed below, it's unlikely that I'll return in the near future.

Reasons I'm bidding farewell to the site I once adored:

• You have to pre-pay the estimated weight for your orders - sellers aren't as bad as a few years ago where they'd list the estimated weight of an eyeliner to be 1kg - and as they always overestimate, any leftover amount is "stuck" in your Gaccount until your next order. So in other words, your Gaccount balance is never zero, in effect making you return to use up the balance (and leave more funds in your account). Right now I have around $35 left in my Gmarket account and I think for me to withdraw this, it would cost around $30 in fees, so there's not much point.
• Only optimized for Internet Explorer, my least favourite browser. Navigation is still buggy with Chrome and FireFox.
• The only available shipping option is EMS which is extortionate for small orders. Also, in the UK, EMS packages are also more likely to be stopped by customs, followed by a delightful £13.50 handling fee slapped by Parcelforce regardless of the amount you get taxed, which just takes the cake when the tax itself is like £4.
• Slow to navigate (even on a 70MB fiber connection) and I always have to wait for the sellers' images to fully load.
• Site is unnecessarily complicated; even with several Gmarket orders under my belt I still can't find my way around easily. I can see plenty of ways they can simplify their site & the ordering process while maintaining functionality. One would think that with the amount of international customers they get, it would make sense to make the shopping interface more user friendly.
• Customer service takes around 2 days (pretty sure they used to be quicker) to respond to queries and I have to keep checking my account to see whether there's a reply.

Without Gmarket, I've been rather deprived of Korean beauty products... that is until I found Koreadepart, an online store stocking a huge range of Korean fashion and beauty products including several brands I'd like to try. Their site has an English version, plus they offer international shipping. Result!

Koreadepart offers registered airmail shipping, which you pay in advance, but after your order is shipped they'll automatically refund any overpayment. If your order is over 1.2kgs, they will only ship via EMS. You can just place several orders to avoid EMS though.

For someone like me who only really buys beauty products (Rilakkuma too!) and is particular about ingredients, I see little point in continuing to shop at Gmarket when I can get the same items from Koreadepart for pretty much the same price give or take a few cents.

My estimated shipping was $25, but after my package was shipped with an actual shipping cost of $13, I was automatically refunded $12 via PayPal.

My first order consisted of:
6 x Innisfree Eco Nail Colour
Innisfree Eco Safety No Sebum Sun Milk SPF 50+ PA+++ (I do love sun protection!)
Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay mask
Innisfree Color Tint Balm

Other than the Volcanic Pore Clay Mask, I've had the chance to try out these items. Read on for reviews!

Innisfree Eco Nail Colour

The six I picked were 116, 117, 120, 128, 129 and 130. For approximately $3 each, and free from DBP, formaldehyde and toluene, I figured that I couldn't really go wrong with these.

The pastel coloured 116, 117 and 120 are part of Innisfree's Macaron Nail Collection. 128, 129 and 130 are part of the Glitter Nail Collection. 

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get all colours from the Macaron collection as some had sold out.

116 Strawberry Macaron - A delicate baby pink, this is my favourite of the six.
117 Blueberry Macaron - Pastel purple toned blue.
120 Peach Maracon - Pastel peach.

These shades are completely opaque and look exactly as they do in the bottle. To get an even colour it's best to apply two coats. They last 2 days without chipping (haven't tried for longer than this as I prefer not to wear the same nail colour for too long)

Since I don't know the official names of the glitter polishes, I'll refer to them by their product numbers.

128 - The silver glitter itself is very pretty, but I'm really not a fan of the giant square chunks. Without them, I'd actually wear this.
129 - Glitter overload! Difficult to apply evenly, because the glitter gets dragged around by the brush, so I had to wait for the first to dry before applying a second, which ended with more unevenness, as can be seen from the photo.
130 - The glitter bits in this are huge, and I mean huge, and look like broken glass on the nails. Maybe that's the point, but I'm not a fan. And because the bottle contains so much glitter in odd shapes, they have a tendency to overlap, making the nail look bumpy and uneven. I don't like the shade of red either; it makes my nails look like they've stained. It's a complete mystery as to why I picked this...

Innisfree Eco Safety No Sebum Sun Milk SPF 50+ PA+++

Mineral based and 5 free, this is a lightweight sun milk that spreads easily, leaves no white cast or sticky residue - the consistency of Asian sun protection is simply unrivalled!

It's slightly runnier than, and doesn't feel as moisturising as Naturaglace UV Base Milk, but while you get 35ml of Naturaglace for ¥2940 (≈$28), Innisfree Sun Milk is ≈$15 (factored in shipping) for 45ml.

I'll continue using Naturaglace since I find it sits better under makup without the need for additional primer, but as far as reasonably priced everyday sun protection goes, I've reached for this several days in a row now, so I'd say that I've found a new staple.

No Sebum Sun Milk ingredients:

Innisfree Color Change Tint Balm

Slanted tip, easy to apply:

Like most "colour change" balms, this starts out very sheer, then deepens in colour, though nowhere near as pigmented as the colour shown in the tube. It has a sweet, fruity, non overpowering scent I really like.

Swatch:

This isn't as moisturising as dedicated lip balms, so wouldn't do much good for chapped lips. It is, however, a pretty reddish pink 2 in 1 coloured balm which leaves the lips soft and pink. At approximately $9, it's excellent value.

As Innisfree products are paraben/mineral oil free and so well priced, I'll be adding more to my shopping list! Wouldn't mind a few more (non glittery!) nail colours for $3 each...