WHAT: Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Care Kit

Hello, friends! Here's a quick review for the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Care Kit. I got this as a freebie with my purchase on Althea Korea. If you want to try this, I saw this trial set retailing for about 130-250 Php on Shopee.

the back of the packaging

WHAT'S INSIDE

Product empties. Sorry I don't have pics of the cotton pads!

The Pore Care Kit consists of:

• 1 Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam 13ml
• 1 Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Toner 10ml
• 7 pcs Innisfree Eco Beauty Tool Cotton pads

Let's start with the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam.

pH test = around 7.5

Product Description: " Jeju Island's volcano clay is very fine and contains few impurities, and attaches well to sebum to clean it out effectively. Also, it is low alkaline which is similar to human body."

This cleanser is effective in making my face feel really clean. If you have oily skin, I think you will appreciate this because all oiliness is stripped away. The description "low alkaline" checks out because the pH is around 7.6. However, I prefer gentle cleansers with lower pH so I will probably not buy the full size.

The 150ml full-sized bottle retails 350 Php at Althea.

Now, about the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Toner...

pH test = around 6.4

Product Description: "The toner’s mineral powder contains volcanic ash and scoria, a porous substance formed from solidified lava. The natural volcanic scoria contains pure, rare, and earthy ingredients that clear out sebum from your face and minimize pores. Use this alcohol-free toner to remove sebum and other skin wastes. It will clear and tighten your pores, leaving your face with a soft and smooth glow."

This toner is thin and watery and has a cloudy look because of the volcanic ash and scoria in it. It is mildly scented and smells like fresh flowers. I liked using this because it made my skin look less oily but after a few days, my skin got bumpier. I suspect my skin did not agree with the volcanic ash or one of the ingredients. Anyway, according to my pH test, the toner has an approximate pH of 6.4. It won't be low enough to use with actives like AHA/BHA.

The 250ml full-sized toner is 800 Php at Althea.

Last but not the least, the Pore Care Kit contained 7 pcs of Innisfree Eco Beauty Tool Cotton pads. It is made of 100% pure cotton and therefore, very absorbent. It would sop up lots of toner so be careful when dispensing! The pads are pressed on both sides but they were not stitched. After vigorous use, the pads kinda unraveled. Haha. I'm still thankful it was included in the kit. Everything is just enough for one week of use!

VERDICT

I enjoyed using the kit. I was able to try out products that I am curious about without committing to the full-sized items. I think the kit will also be perfect for traveling because of its tiny size. 

What are your must-try mini kits? Let me know!

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Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. This review is based on my own experience and opinions. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

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WHAT: Rire Bubble Bubble Lip Mask
PRICE & WHERE: 350 PHP at Althea Korea

Most lip care products come in the form of sugar scrubs, sheet masks or lip balm/cream but Rire differentiates itself from the competition by introducing the Bubble Bubble Lip Mask - a special gel mask for the lips that foams up and removes dead skin cells by using bubbles instead of scrubbing.

According to Rire, the Bubble Bubble Lip Mask has three main selling points. First, rich bubbles remove dead skin to soften the lips. Second, this is a gommage peeling gel. No more scrubbing with microbeads! Third, this contains lemon extract and Vitamin C to moisturize the lips!

the box packaging it came with
click the pic to see the full-size!

The item comes in a cheerful yellow box with all the info you need. There's the item description, usage instructions, ingredients list and manufacturer details in both Korean and English.

The lip mask itself

The mask is packaged in a 12 ml plastic pump bottle which is more or less the same size of a normal lipstick tube. I find it convenient and travel-friendly, although I think the design could be a lot better.

The product is slightly larger than a lipstick tube

Ingredients
Water, Cellulose, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Perflouoroisobutyl Ether, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Triethanolamine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Panthenol, Allantoin, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, CI 19140, Ascorbic Acid

Aside from citric acid, the product also contains orange peel oil and fruit extracts from lemon, grapefruit and lime. These ingredients help in gently exfoliating dead skin cells and lightening pigmentation. Hyaluronic acid is also present to prevent dryness and hydrate the lips. Here's the Cosdna analysis of the ingredients. Avoid using this if you are allergic or sensitive to any of the ingredients.

How to Use
(1) Take an appropriate amount and apply throughout your lips. (2) Wait 2~3 minutes until sufficient bubbles come up. (3) Once your lips bubble up, massage your lips gently. (4) Wipe off with tissue or water.

My Experience

texture of the lip mask

The lip mask has a fresh lemon scent and looks like a normal gel at first. I recommend putting some on your pointing finger and applying it to the lips immediately because it bubbles up fairly quick.

1st pic - a few seconds after application
2nd pic - two minutes later

I used two pumps to fully cover my lips. The sensation while it was forming bubbles was fun. Know that pins-and-needles feeling when your arm/leg sleeps? It kinda felt like that except the tingling is a lot more gentle and amusing. Regarding taste, better not move or you'll risk eating the bubbles! Lol. The product is definitely not for tasting since it's a bit bitter.

1st pic - the result after popping the bubbles
4th pic - results

After 3 minutes, I popped the bubbles and used the resulting "scrub" to exfoliate my lips. After a minute or two of scrubbing, I wipe it off using a paper tissue. No residue is left behind but I prefer following it up with a little bit of water to remove the bitter taste.

Results

The product removed a lot of dead skin but from my experience, there's always a patch or two of dry areas left behind whenever I use it. I have to reapply a second time to fully remove all the dead skin. I can understand why because the formula is very gentle plus there are no exfoliating beads or sugar grains to rub in. Another thing to note is that my lips felt soft from the exfoliation but the product does not add moisture. You have to apply a separate lip balm to protect and hydrate your freshly exfoliated lips.

Verdict

Personally, I prefer lip scrubs that are more abrasive so I would not be repurchasing this once it's empty. However, if you're in search of a gentle lip mask, then this product is certainly worth a try! It's quite effective in removing dead skin, it smells good and it's easy and mess-free to use.

I got my Rire Bubble Bubble Lip Mask through Althea Korea for only 350 PHP.  If you're new to the site, you can use my referral link to sign up and get an additional 200 PHP discount! If you had tried this product, feel free to tell me about your experience!

Til next time!

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Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The item featured is bought with my own money. This review is based on my own experience and opinions. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

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Hi! In today's post, I'm gonna share with you my experience using White Virgin Lip Gel from the Korean brand Milky Dress. Note: This product has been discontinued. I'm gonna share my experience anyway. T_T

The product is described as a whitening lip gel for improving pigmentation. According to the product page, it contains ingredients that nourish and effectively lighten dull and dark lips. It is supposed to permeate the lips with moisture while being completely non-sticky.

There is a tip at the bottom of the product description saying this lip gel is ONLY for those who want to have natural pink lips and who wants to care for dull and dark lips. For years, I've been looking for an effective lip bleach to lighten my pigmented lips. So... totally me? Hahaha! I have very dark, uneven lips, so I really want this thing to actually work!

Packaging and How It Looked Like

Description at the front: "It is absorbed without any stickiness as light & soft gel type,
keeps moisturized and brightens dull lips with niacinamide & botanical extracts."
Price and where I got it: Php 210 at Althea Korea

The packaging is very minimalist in design. It's very simple, just white with a pop of turquoise green. My pics doesn't capture it but the "White Virgin Lip Gel", in both box and product, is a shiny metallic silver.

The top part has the product name and a sticker seal. The bottom part has no writings.

The front and back of the box. Most of the text is in Korean.
(Click the pic and zoom in to read!)

The other sides of the box. The ingredients list is available in both Korean and English.
(Click the pic and zoom in to read!)

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Xylitol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xantham Gum, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Fragrance, Milk Protein Extract, Tremelia Fuciformis (Mushroom) Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Pancratium Maritimum Extract

Niacinamide, well-known for its lightening and moisturizing benefits, is 4th in the list. That's pretty high up. There are lots of humectants and botanical extracts in the list as well. The ingredients look okay to me but make sure to do your own research and check for your own irritants.

The front and back of the product. The writings on it are mostly the same on the box.
(Click the pic and zoom in to read!)

Unscrew the metallic cap and the nozzle will be revealed!

The lip gel comes in a plastic 10-ml tube with a nozzle to dispense the product. It's quite easy to get the product out - just squeeze the tube until you get the desired amount. I think the packaging is hygienic since only the product you dispense will get exposed. Just make sure you have clean fingers before using this.

The 10-ml tube compared to a 10-ml mini bottle. They have the same diameter.

The only thing I don't like about the packaging is... it's full of air! The packaging is thick and well-made but I wish it was made a bit more compact in size. I have to squeeze and squeeze before the lip gel comes out. If I squeeze too much, there is risk of spilling a lot! So, be careful!

Swatch and Application

Here is a swatch on my wrist.

I applied a little blob on my wrist. It's consistency is gel-like. It becomes light and watery once you spread it. It dries and gets absorbed completely in about 3-5 minutes, depending on how much you rub it in.

Fragrance is listed as an ingredient but this doesn't have any scent in it. Weird. Regarding taste, you wouldn't want to lick this. It tastes very bitter.

My Experience & Product Results

DAY ONE (1) Bare lips (2) Putting the gel on my lips
(3) After spreading it all over my lips (4) How my lips looks like 5 minutes after

As you can see, I have very dark lip edges. My upper lips are especially pigmented. After putting on the lip gel, my lips instantly look brighter and plumper . After about 5 minutes, the gel was fully absorbed. Unlike lip balms, this product didn't leave a shiny film all over my lips. However, my lips felt really hydrated, soft and moisturized from within. Notice that my lips are fuller in Pic 4 compared to Pic 1 where my lips look dehydrated and sad.

So, moisturization powers... check! But does this product effectively lighten pigmentation? I specifically bought this for that purpose...

a skeptical Hermione to show you how I felt

Well, I used this at least once a day, more if I can remember to apply. After around two months, here are the results.

results

Sorry about the lighting lol. My lips are still dark particularly at the edges, but they did lighten up considerably. You need to keep on using this if you want to see more results.

Will I Repurchase Again?

Yes! I dislike the bitter taste but this product is an easy & convenient way of lightening dark lips. It's an effective moisturizer too. Love it! I have tried natural homemade remedies for dark lips (like lemon juice and cucumber juice) but frankly, I don't have time on that.

I would totally recommend this to everyone who suffers from dark, pigmented lips excEPT I JUST LEARNED THIS PRODUCT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED!!! So sad. If you know similar products, let me know and I will try it!

And that's it for this review! :(

Check out Milky Dress!
Website: http://www.milkydress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jrcosmetic/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milkydress_official/
Weibo: http://weibo.com/MilkyDressMilkyDress?is_all=1

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Note: This review is based solely on my own experience and opinion. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa. This not a sponsored post. I bought the featured item with my own money.

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Hi, guys!

Ever since I've discovered AB skincare, I've been reading up a lot about AHAs/BHAs. This is my first foray into the land of actives and gotta get some knowledge, you know, because this stuff is not to be taken lightly. I'm thinking of getting something relatively mild and the CosRX One Step Pimple Pad first came to mind. However, I put a rain check on that because something conveniently came my way!

This Secret Key Lemon Sparkling Peeling Pad came as part of my Althea Pore Care box! I was so happy. Read more to see how this worked out for me.

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Ever thought about fizzy water for skincare? Well, I haven't but guess what, Innisfree has a product like that!

The Jeju Sparkling Mineral Powder will make carbonated bubbles when mixed with water for a spa-like massage effect. It is part of Innisfree's Jeju Sparkling Mineral line. All products in the range are enriched with sparkling thermal water from Jeju island and claims to moisturize and also brighten the skin.

I got this inside my Althea Pore Care Box and I wanted to try this product ever since. I watched a vid demonstrating how to use this and it looks really fun! Without further ado, let's proceed!

About The Product

What: Innisfree Jeju Sparkling Mineral Powder, 30g
Price: Php 126.85 on Innisfree Website, Php 70-150 on Shopee

Description: A cleansing powder with Jeju sparkling mineral water that delivers rich mineral for skin that’s clear and filled like it's been soaked in a hot spring

1. Sparkling water pack benefits - It dissolves easily to form carbonated water that provides all the benefits of both spa therapy and sparkling water pack when washing the face. 

2. Contains extract of fresh tangerine peel - Jeju tangerine peel extract cleanses pores and gives the skin an instant brightening effect. 

3. Sparkling bubble massage - Fizzy sparkling bubbles provide a sparkling massage effect on the skin to make it feel smooth and revitalized."

what it looks like at the back

The upper part is written in HanGul which I can't read 😅
Here you go, in case you wanna see it.

English Translation is provided too

The item has two 15g packets inside - Step 1 & Step 2

Directions:

1. Dissolve 1st powder in water (1.5-2 L) fully.

2. Put 2nd powder into water and stir in.

3. Wash your face with both hands or immerse the face in sparkling water while feeling an effect of bubble massage.

4. Rinse off with water after 2-3 minutes.

Ingredients:
Packet 1: Sodium bicarbonate
Packet 2: Citric Acid, Silica, Onsen-Sui(1000ppm), Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Orchid Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Propanediol, Magnesium Stearate

Packet 1 is sodium bicarbonate or what is commonly known as baking soda. Oops. I have my eyebrows raised because facial use of baking soda is actually discouraged. (Read why here). Packet 2 has citric acid first on the list. It is a pH adjuster so hopefully it is enough to adjust the alkalinity of the baking soda. The other ingredients look okay to me so I'm still giving this a go. Please check the ingredients first for any irritants that may affect you!

How I Used It and My Experience

Packet 1 is just baking soda.
Packet 2 is a powder mix of citric acid, Jeju water minerals and various plant extracts.

The item has two 15-gram packets to be dissolved in 1.5-2 liters of water. Even one liter is enough to immerse the face so I only used half per packet. I used a measuring spoon to make sure I still applied the same proportion. I then resealed the packets for later use.

Half the powders is enough guys

After dissolving the half of the first packet, I added the second powder. It bubbled and fizzed immediately. Just look at the video below. So sparkly!

I immersed my face in the mixture and was pleasantly surprised with the sensation. The tiny bubbles crackled and popped on my skin and it felt very tingly. It stings a little bit but I think that's just part of the "massage" effect.  It's tolerable for me. After a while, I got used to it. I have some healing skin from a pimple and it did not hurt (aside from the effects I mentioned). Make sure not to get this in your eyes though because it will burn a lot!

It felt warm but the sensation subsides then comes back again. Maybe it's the heat produced from the reaction? Anyway, the bubbles surprisingly kept fizzing for a long time. When the sparkling slowly faded, I mixed the water around to intensify the bubbling again. I rinsed it off with water after 2-3 minutes.

So... was it effective?

Yes! I love the brightening effect it gave me! My skin looks radiant and matte. It looks really matte, like my face never knew oil, but my skin feels so soft and supple. My pores also look smaller!

I used this at night and hours later, with all my skincare products piled on, my skin looks dewy. Before, I just looked greasy. 😆 My skin still looked good the next day too. No breakouts or irritation after. I think this will also do well when used during daytime. It kinda gives a jamsu-like effect since the pores are really minimized.

Will I repurchase?

Yes, but I don't recommend this for people with sensitive skin. The baking soda niggles me a little bit but it's a fun product to use every now and then. I personally love how it made my skin look after. It's very economical too - you can stretch the usage of the product for up to three times so you can really get your money's worth. I later found out you can also use it for the hair. I will have to try that some time. 😊

Hope this helped! Have you tried this too? How did it go? Got any questions or have any products you want me to try? Shoot me a line in the comment section!

UPDATE!!!

I recently got myself some pH testing strips so, of course, I tested this! I dissolved a packet in 1.5 liters of water and dipped a ph strip in the solution. I'm really curious. I mean... it's partly made of BAKING SODA!!!

Looks like the pH is around 5

The pH, as you can see above, looks like it's around 5. That's a lot lower than I expected! Honestly, I thought it would be above 8.

The pH is 4.6 according to my digital pH tester.

The results above remove my fear of this product being very stripping. It's within healthy pH range (between 4.2 - 5.6 pH).

I used it again on my face and my first impressions still hold up. It removed excess oils and made my face look matte but glowy.

I soaked my hair too in the solution. After rinsing it out, my hair feels kinda dry (like how it would feel if you use a shampoo). Didn't use conditioner afterwards but after my hair dried, it became so bouncy! No sign of grease and my hair got so much volume! Downside is I got tangles and frizz but that's easily fixed with a little bit of styling. I recommend it for people with straight but limp, flat hair.

And, that's it for this update! Thanks for reading!

Check out Innisfree!
Website: http://www.innisfreeworld.com/main/index.do
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ecoinnisfree?lang=en
Instagram: http://instagram.com/innisfreeofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innisfreeworld/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ecoinnisfree11/

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Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. Item featured is bought with my own money. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

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