✰ Holika Holika Soda Pore O2 Bubble Mask Review ✰

       Hello everybody!~
I apologize for being inactive for a while.. (*´д｀*) I've been quite busy and tired lately that I haven't had time to write reviews but now I've been able to write drafts a head of time on my email so when I do get the time I can paste it on here and revise it !~ But anyways I'm here to talk about a pretty popular Holika Holika product ( at least from what I've seen) which is Holika Holika Soda Pore O2 Bubble Mask. Like many of my Holika Holika products I purchased this product from eBay from " Bringbringshop " for $13.94 (free shipping included!~). 

(Soda pore bubble mask, photo from Bringbringshop/Rubyrubyshop eBay shop)

I know I sound like a broken record when explaining Holika Holika's products but I don't like to be lazy with something like that. So Holika Holika tends to have very beneficial ingredients in their products. For example, when I was reading about the soda pore mask's ingredients this is what I found;
 "made with harrogate carbonated water to provide minerals to the skin for better overall health and appearance. *Harrogate water originated from the UK and is known for its aiding in skin ailments. Also, contains baking powder, tea tree, and gold kiwi ingredients for *sebum and pore control, removal of dead skin cells, and providing bright and smooth skin." 

For those wondering about the benefits of some of these ingredients here they are:
  ❤ Harrogate Water- Aids skin ailments (inflammed skin, acne, acne scars, etc.)
 ❤ Baking Powder- Lessens irritation from inflammation because of its antiseptic property, also mildly exfoliates. ( Do not use straight Baking Soda on your skin as it is bad for your skin due to Baking soda having a pH of 9 and your skin has a pH of 4.5-5 [ read in a medical journal back in high school])
❤ Tea Tree- Natural alternative for getting rid of pimples, It has unique disinfecting and soothing properties, and doesn't strip your skin of the natural oils that you produce.
❤ Gold Kiwi- *Sebum and pore control, removal of dead skin cells, and providing bright and smooth skin( Sebum-produced but the Sebaceous Gland; lubricates and waterproofs the skin and hair of both humans and mammals.Implicated in the development of acne).

Now here are the benefits for the product as listed on Holika Holika's site:
❤ nourishes  
❤ moisturizes
❤Pore and oil control !~
❤Removes dead skin cells
❤Brightens skin
❤Smoothes skin

( Delivered package of the Soda Pore mask)

The delivery time was a little odd because the tracking number had said it was delivered to my mailbox when I looked it up but in reality it was delivered to my mailbox the next day which really confused me. I'm happy that I got my package at least , despite the confusing tracking information. When opening the box the product was securely packaged up in bubble wrap (which I forgot to take a photo of  sorry（ つ Д ｀）) . The Product looked exactly as described and I couldn't wait to use it!~ I didn't receive any lovely samples from this shop sadly. （ ；´Д｀）

(Soda Pore Cleansing O2 Bubble Mask outside of packaging)

( Better shot of the front of the bottle)

(Back of the bottle)

(Close up of the back)

After opening and seeing this wonderful product I decided to use it right away! I want to apologize for not taking pictures of it on my face but my cheeks are starting to break out again due to being stressed so I'm very sorry （ ；´Д｀）.

(Soda Pore Cleansing Mask without thinly being applied)

(Soda Pore Mask after being thinly applied and bubbled up)

 I really liked using this product on my face very much because it made my skin feel refreshed as I applied it and after I rinsed it off too! Though when apply it to your skin make sure not to use too much ( maybe a drop for each section) because when it bubbles up it produces a bit more for the skin and you don't want to rub oodles of it on your skin. The mask had a very pleasant smell, kinda like Mountain Dew ( though I don't think you should trust my sense of smell too much either xD) . When the mask bubbles up it creates a nice tingly feeling on your face (that I really enjoyed) and once bubbled up, massage the bubbles into your skin for two minutes. Once when the two minutes are up, rinse your face with lukewarm water. After I  had rinsed my face not only did my skin feel refreshed, but my pores felt tight and my blemishes felt less noticeable n.n

Now for the rating!~

Pros:

❤ Leaves skin feeling great

❤ Beneficial ingredients

❤ Smells nice!~

❤ Cute size (fits in a purse and whatnot, sorry I had forgotten to add it to the review until now)

Cons:
✘ Over bubbling = too much bubble mask to rub into the skin

✘ ( Not sure if the confusing tracking would fall as a con here )

I give Holika Holika Soda Pore O2 Bubble Mask 4 stars out of 5~

★★★★

✿ Naisture Lovely Strawberry Mask ✿

    Hello everyone!~

Today I'm writing a review on Naisture's Lovely Strawberry Mask. I didn't buy this face mask online (surprising right?) but instead I bought it at a cute shop in the mall called " Tokyo Lifestyle " . Tokyo Lifestyle has quite a few shops here in the U.S. ( I believe there is maybe 3 or more here in California). For those of you who have never heard of this shop here is some information about it, Tokyo Lifestyle sells many popular products from Japan as well as all over Asia ( items such as cute keychains, stickers, kigurumis, Rilakkuma merch, Hello Kitty merch, Palty dye, bentos, stationary, makeup, falsies, plushies, Gundams, and the list goes on!~). Long story short, this store is just the works!~ Though lately they were forced to stop selling circle lens here in California ( they we real ! and passed FDA too! ) and they are also moving their huge Palty dye varieties to their other San Jose location. (╯3╰) But anyways, aside from all my favorites that I shop for in there, I'm very fond of the facial masks they have shipped here and the prices for them are super crazy cheap! (I spent $0.99  on this mask!). For those of you who don't have a Tokyo Lifestyles shop in your state/country fear not as you can find this brand cheap on eBay/Amazon too! In the past I have bought Naisture's masks from Tokyo Lifestyle but that was all before I got into blogging (╯ಊ╰).But enough about my love for Tokyo Lifestyle and lets talk about this lovely face mask!~

(Naisture package front and back)

Naisture is a Korean skin care brand which I know very little about sadly ∑(゜Д゜;)  (Sorry!) but like many Korean brands it's cruelty free and packed full of beneficial ingredients for your skin! (Their masks come in a variety such as strawberry, cucumber, pomegrante, etc) One of the nice things about this mask in particular is that they have the instructions in English which makes life a little easier for some people who can't read Korean or have a hard time finding the instructions in English. I really enjoy using easy ready-to-go masks like this because sometimes I'm too drained to place on a mask and peel/wash it off. （ ；´Д｀）With this mask it makes my life a bit easier when stuck in such circumstances (yes, being tired is a circumstance) since all I have to do really is to make sure I've cleansed and applied toner to my face before using ( those aren't time consuming to do at all ) then place this mask on and relax for 15 minutes. After my 15 minutes are done I just remove the mask and lightly pat whatever essence is left from the mask in to my skin. For those wondering what benefits you get from using this mask I'll tell you; as it says on the back of the package "Strawberry rich in vitamins controls excessive sebum and keeps skin smooth." ( Sebum-  oily, waxy substance that contributes to acne, thus making sebum= bad for face!!!) .Not only does it help control sebum but it also helps soothe irritated and dehydrated skin that is caused by stress as well as the changes in the environment (comes in handy if you live in an area that tends to get bad smog such as where I live).

 (Mask out of the package *still folded*)

(Mask unfolded [I fail at being cute xD])

So I applied the mask and left it on for a full 15 minutes, during those 15 minutes of relaxation I felt my skin tingle ( Yay it's helping!~) as well as all my stress melt away (◡‿◡✿). After removing the mask and patting the essence in my skin, I felt really refreshed and my skin looked much brighter than normal!Oh and lets not forget about smooth = w = ~ I almost forgot to mention it smelled like strawberries (◡‿◡✿)  (and not some gross nasty chemical ). Now for the rundown !~

Pros:

❤ Super cheap

❤ Cruelty free!

❤ Beneficial for the skin

❤ Easy to find online

❤ Smells nice

❤ Leaves skin feeling smooth

❤ No burning ( Perfect for ALL skin types!~)

❤ Not super time consuming

❤ Comes with English instructions!

Cons:

✘ None!~

I give Naisture's lovely Strawberry Mask 5 stars out of 5!~

★★★★★

♬ Tony Moly Red Appletox Honey Cream Sample Review ♬

      Hello!~
Today I'm writing a very small review on Tony Moly Red Appletox Honey Cream (sample packet). (▰˘◡˘▰) Before I start I want to apologize for not taking pictures of the packet before use ; n ; as well as in use D: I used the cream as I was taking photos for my Holika Holika review. ; A ; I got this lovely little sample from my Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly Shadow order as a gift from ordering from "  iamlove-shop " . u w u These samples are given out randomly so I did not anticipate such goodies with my order. I have never used a Tony Moly product ever so this is my first Tony Moly Review ever. ◕ ◡ ◕ Like many skin and makeup products from Asia, Tony Moly is like Holika Holika they seem to have very beneficial ingredients in their products! As in this product it contains *Manuka Honey Extract ( provides an immunity and anti-bacterial effect to the skin),Royal Jelly (cools down skin troubles, thus making it ideal for sensitive skin), Black Honey (rich in minerals and amino-acids= nourishes and moisturizes skin), Apple Acid Ingredients ( Smoothes out skin), and  Propolis (provides anti-oxidants)*       (*= paraphrasing benefits from Tony Moly Website)

( Sample pouch that I demolished open ; A ; )

Since I didn't take a photo of the cream ( sorry ; A ; ) I will explain it. The cream is a smooth honey color that is easy to spread on your face but leaves a semi sticky feeling which the website benefits describes " Relaxes your skin membranes which gives the skin elasticity. " It also says " Suitable for all skin types ( especially tired,dehydrated or sensitive skins)" so no matter the skin type it should be suitable for you n.n I really liked the feeling it left on my face. My face felt so refreshed after using it and it left it smelling like delicious apples !~ (◡‿◡✿) Before you use this product make sure to cleanse and apply toner on your face. Then, apply an appropriate amount on your face and pat until fully absorbed. I greatly apologize for this horribly written review ; A ; but I did want to share how lovely this product felt so here is my rating.

Pros:

❤ Smells nice

❤ Leaves skin feeling refreshed

❤ Beneficial ingredients

Cons :

✘ ( besides the fact that I wished I took better photos for this review) None!~

I give Tony Moly Red Appletox Honey Cream Sample 5 stars out of 5 

★★★★★

☆ Neutrogena: Clear Pore Review ☆

    Hello everyone!~
Have you ever woken up one morning after a party or a super long night at work and found either a blemish/small breakout on your face? Did you ever wonder if you had washed off all your make up or cleansed your face before passing out? And if you did remove all you make up and cleansed your face do you ponder what might have contributed to it? I know I have! 

(Pondering about a breakout)

So I'm here to write this lovely review about Neutrogena Clear Pore. Neutrogena Clear Pore is an oil-eliminating astringent which helps prevents breakouts without overdrying your skin as well treats your breakouts and like every other Neutrogena product it is Dermatologist recommended. I have super sensitive skin that is also oily so I tend to break out quite a lot because of that as well as from stress so dealing with breakouts tend to be hassle for me as I'm super allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide (I'm also allergic to Salicylic Acid but to an extent. Ex. I can only use so much of it ) and living in California where we tend to have some pretty crazy smog sometimes which doesn't help either. Neutrogena Clear Pore has 2% Salicylic Acid in it which isn't too bad for me to use just as long as I use it once daily and not 2-3 times daily as it gives you that option.

(Neutrogena Clear Pore)

Now using this product is very simple. First, cleanse your face and dry before using Neutrogena Clear Pore. Next, put a little bit of the oil-eliminating astringent on a cotton ball or face pad and cover the affected area(s) with a thin layer. Note: Do not rinse off! I did a week long photo diary of my usage with this (the cotton pads only) down below are the photos at the bottom of the photos are explanations and reactions of my usage n.n

Day 1: First time using it. I cleansed my face first before using. The scent is minty and is VERY strong so you have to be very careful when applying around the chin area and cheek area (by your nose). I felt a very strong burning sensation as it cleaned my pores due to my skin sensitivity (everyone is different so please take that into mind), but after the sensation was over I felt quite refreshed. I'm surprised how small the amount of dirt and oil ( that my cleanser did not pull) that was pulled from my face.

Day 2: Cleansed my face again before using and received the same results as day 1 but with the exception of a little less dirt and oil.

Day 3: It's slightly hard to see in the photos but this was the biggest shocker for me. I started the day with cleansing my face and splashing cold water on my face to close my pores. After cleansing my pores I put on make up which was Neutrogena mineral powder foundation and liquid eye liner (only on my upper eyelids). I spent that day out with my mom then at my friend's house. It was a fairly warm day (82 degrees out ) but I dressed properly for the weather and outside didn't look very smoggy. I came home at six and used my Neutrogena make up remover wipes, my Acne Free cleanser and sulfur mask (since you cannot wet your face after using the toner). After doing all that I then wiped my face only to see this face pad COVERED in dirt and oil! I couldn't believe all that was still in my skin even after using make up remover, acne cleanser AND a face mask! I mean I know those all don't necessary remove EVERYTHING from your face but I've had a routine like this for 2 years regardless of when I wore make up or not but seeing this surprised me to no end! All that dirt would've been feasting on my pores that night if I didn't use this on my face.

Day 4: I woke up to my pores feeling much smaller and my blemishes feeling less noticeable and smaller too. I cleansed my face as I did on the morning of day 3 and spent another day out but without make up on as I wasn't going anywhere special. It was warmer than the day before and a tad smoggy. I managed to sweat a whole bunch as I don't do well with the heat. > <; When I came home later that day I cleansed my face as well as applied a sulfur mask on my face and when I was done I wiped my face with the toner.The dirt and oil wasn't as bad as the day before which made me much happier. n.n

Day 5: I spent the day at home that day but I woke up and did the usual face cleaning routine. When I looked in the mirror my blemishes were disappearing more and more which was great news for me. My skin felt as if I had no blemishes because of how much smaller my pores felt which used to be so rare for me to feel when I broke out. After wiping my face I barely saw anything on the pad which made me happy considering I had been sitting in a stuffy room all day with 3 other people. > < ; Later that night when I went to bed I had noticed my skin was less oily and felt refreshed as ever, I felt like I had come straight out of a spa!

Day 6 & Day 7: these last two days were just as similar as day 5 with the exception of less dirt removed from skin and my face clearing up!~

Overall review: (sorry this was such a long review)

Pros:

✔ Cheap price

✔ Available at most drugstores

✔ Smells nice

✔ Leaves your skin feeling refreshed

✔ Makes your pores/blemishes appear and feel smaller

✔ Removes dirt and extra oils in your skin leaving it clean

Cons:

✘ Very strong scent making it hard when applying it on your chin and on your cheeks by your nose.

✘ Can be quite painful if you have super sensitive skin

All in all I give Neutrogena Clear Pore 4 stars out of 5

★★★★