COLLECTIVE EYE CREAM REVIEW: CLINIQUE, ETUDE HOUSE, KOSE, BOBBI BROWN, IT'S SKIN

Today I'd like to talk about all eye creams I've used so far. Some will not be mentioned here because they've been discontinued, and I've already reviewed Skinfood Salmon Brightening Eye Cream on my blog, so please click on the name if you're interested in it. The products will be presented in a chronicle order, from the first one I've ever tried to the one I'm currently using.

1. Clinique All About Eyes

(source: clinique.com)

• Claims: Works for all skin types. This lightweight eye cream diminishes the appearance of puffs, undereye circles. Non-creep, cream/gel formula actually helps hold eye makeup in place. Ophthalmologist Tested. 
• Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Isostearyl Palmitate, Polyethylene, Butylene Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Morus Bombycis (Mulberry) Root Extract, Caffeine, Phytosphingosine, Triticum Vulgar (Wheat Bran) Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Cholesterol, Linoleic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pyridoxine Dipalmitate, Sucrose, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Glyceryl Laurate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Quaternium-18 Bentonite, Petrolatum, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Propylene Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, PEG-8, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium Metabisulfite, Iron Oxides (source: paulaschoice.com)
• My opinion: This was the first eye cream I used, and I was very disappointed in it. It did absolutely nothing for my dark circles; but to be fair, I was born with them, so no eye cream could get rid of them anyway. However, the ultimate deal breaker for me was the fact that it stung my eyes (and I don't even have sensitive eyes!). Its only redeeming points were its moisturizing property and the cute jar, but for the high price, I expected something more than that. 
• Score: 4/10
• Repurchase?: No!

2. Etude House Collagen Moistfull Firming Eye Cream

(source: etude.co.kr)

• Description: Etude House Moistfull Collagen Firming Eye Cream is a gel type eye cream. It’s specially formulated adhesive jelly texture, provides long-lasting contact for better results. Firms surrounding eye area for smoother younger looking skin. Collagen properties increase collagen synthesis, plumping the skin and allowing an increase in elasticity. Baobab seed oil contains abundant amount of nutrients to nurture the dry skin area around the eyes. (source: prettyandcute.com)

• Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Glycerin, HDI/ Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Silicia, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Glyceryl, Sterate, Decyl, Cocoate, Dimethicone, Ceteth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Steareth-20, Ethylhexylgleryin, Octyldodecyl, Myristate, Xannthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, PEG-60Glyceryl Isosterate, PEG-75 Stearate, PPG-5-Laureth-5, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (source: prettyandcute.com)
• My opinion: I didn't actually buy this cream but I tried some sample sachets of it. Prior to this, I'd used up a tube of Etude House Collagen Moistfull Eye Cream (which is now discontinued), which I didn't like much because it wasn't moisturizing enough for me in winter. This Firming Eye Cream, however, I really liked because it was so light yet hydrating. It absorbed really fast and didn't irritate my eyes in any ways. It didn't do much for my fine lines though, but since mine are not age- or dehydration-related, I don't think anything can fix them. 
• Score: 7/10
• Purchase?: Probably not. Now that I'm older, I'm not sure if this is still moisturizing enough for me.

3. Kose Sekkisei Supreme Whitening Eye Cream

(source: Kose's facebook)

• Description: A whitening eye cream that evens out and brightens the overall skin tone around the eyes. Helps reduce the appearance of dark spits and leaves the eye area deeply moisturized and visibly luminous.

• Ingredients: water (aqua), butylene glycol, hydrogenated polydecene, petrolatum, cetearyl alcohol, diglycerin, macadamia ternifolia seed oil, PEG-40 stearate, ascorbyl glucoside, behenyl alcohol, glycerin, glyceryl stearate, dipentaerythrityl hexahydroxystearate/hexastearate/hexarosinate, hydrogenated polyisobutene, acorus calamus root extract, angelica acutiloba root extract, centella asiatica extract, coix lacryma-jobi ma-yuen seed extract, coix lacryma-jobi ma-yuen seed water, melothria heterophylla root extract, polygonum tinctorium leaf/stem extract, alcohol, BHT, dimethicone, disodium EDTA, disodium phosphate, ethyl oleate, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, hydrogenated lecithin, sodium hydroxide, sodium phosphate, xanthan gum, methylparaben, fragrance (parfum) 
• My opinion: In my humble opinion, this eye cream doesn't deserve the staggering price I paid for it. First of all, there are a lot of questionable ingredients in it, like petrolatum (a.k.a. mineral oil), alcohol (in an eye cream, really?) and paraben. Now I don't have any problems with mineral oil in cheap/affordable creams (like Nivea Soft and Nivea Creme) or cleansing products (Bifesta Eye Makeup Remover), but in high-end skincare? Mineral oil is a very cheap ingredient, and it's supposed to block other ingredients from penetrating into the skin, so the fact that it's the 4th ingredient on the list means that every other herbs extract has no means to be absorbed. This cream felt heavy and greasy on the skin, and it just kind of sat on my eye area and refused to sink in, even though I only applied a green-bean-sized amount. I didn't experience any brightening effects; in fact, my eyes just looked dull and tired due to the greasiness it gave. I also found the scent overwhelming rather than relaxing. The only good point was that it didn't sting my eyes. 
• Score: 4/10
• Repurchase?: No!
• Update: I've just done a search on kose.co.jp and it seems that this product has been discontinued!

4. Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair Cream

 

(source: bobbibrowncosmetics.com)

• Description: Do your eyes need something extra? Packed with peptides, natural plant oils and humectants that target fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness and dryness, this rich, concentrated cream visibly revives eyes. Use morning and night - warm between fingers, then pat gently around eye area. Once cream is absorbed, follow with Corrector and Creamy Concealer. Dermatologist tested. Ophthalmologist tested. 
• Ingredients: Water, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Glycerin, Ceresin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Acetyl Glucosamine, Pentylene Glycol, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Lanolin Alcohol, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat Bran) Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Morus Bombycis (Mulberry) Root Extract, Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caffeine, Sucrose, Silica, Cholesterol, Sorbitol, DI-C12-15 Alkyl Fumarate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydroxystearic Acid, Micrococcus Lysate, PEG-8 Distearate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Trehalose, Linoleic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Potassium Stearate, Potassium Palmitate, Fragrance, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium EDTA, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol (source: paulaschoice.com)
• My opinion: Why do these purse-rippingly expensive eye creams contain petrolatum? This one is even worse as it's the second ingredient! This product is so rich and thick that no matter what I did (i.e. warm the cream between my fingers, apply a tiny amount), it still didn't sink in. While it sat on my skin, it did blur out my fine line, but the effect disappeared right after it was washed off. Similar to Kose eye cream, it didn't brighten my eyes or lighten up my dark circles and I was left with greasy and dull-looking eyes. My Bobbi Brown Corrector and other concealers still creased on my lids and under my eyes. Well, at least the pot was cute and I didn't experience any irritation when using this. 
• Score: 4/10
• Repurchase?: No!

5. It's Skin Brighten System Eye Cream

• Description: Eye cream that is mixed with fruit extract and pearl extract. Creates bright and vivid eyes. (source: en.koreadepart.com)
• Ingredients: No idea as it's all written in Korean.
• My opinion: I'm currently using this one and I really like it. It doesn't give me any brightening effects but it's light, easily absorbed, non-irritating and moisturizing enough for me even in cold weather. It's just a simple and non-fussed eye cream. It's affordable and long-lasting as well (a 30ml tube can last me at least 6 months!). 
• Score: 8/10
• Repurchase?: No because I've already bought It's Skin Collagen Voluming Eye Cream (it's like half the price of the Brighten System Eye Cream). However, I may go back to this one if the other one doesn't work well.

That's the end of my very long rambles about different eye creams I've tried. Hope this will be helpful for you. Have a nice day and I'll see you soon :)

REVIEW: SK-II PITERA DELUXE SET TRAVEL EXCLUSIVE: FACIAL TREATMENT ESSENCE (215MML) - FACIAL TREATMENT CLEAR LOTION (215ML)

Pitera, SK-II signature ingredient, is probably one of the most famous ones in high-end skincare products. Needless to say, I was longing to try out the notorious Facial Treatment Essence as well as the much-raved about Facial Treatment Clear Lotion. Last year, I saw this exclusive travel set in Hong Kong International Airport, so I snapped it up instantly because 1) it was tax-free and 2) it was cheaper to buy in a set rather than individual products. 

• What is Pitera? 

In 1970s, SK-II scientists found out that aged sake brewer all had youthful and soft hands even though their faces were all wrinkled. They assumed that it was due to the fermentation liquid that they came in contact with while fermenting sake. After testing over 350 kinds of yeast, they finally discovered the yeast strain that helped maintain the skin youthfulness, and Pitera was created. According to SK-II, Pitera contains a lot of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and organic acids, which can enhance the skin's rejuvenation process.

• My opinion:

 - SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion: 

I really like this lotion because it's gentle, hydrating and non-drying. In my opinion, it's very hard to find a moisturizing yet non-sticky toner, but this one fits the bill perfectly. Even when my face was at its driest peak, it never dried my skin out. Having said that, I don't think I'll repurchase it because it doesn't really do anything to my skin: it doesn't improve my skin texture and has no effects whatsoever on my occasional breakouts (despite the fact that it contains salicylic acid). If you want to avoid paraben, then skip this because it does contain that ingredient.

- SK-II Facial Treatment Essence:

Many people recommend using hands to apply this instead of cotton pads, but for me, that method doesn't work. My palms seemed to absorb the liquid so quickly that I found I had to pour out more product. In the end, I just applied it according to SK-II's instruction, which was pouring it onto a cotton pad. This product has developed a cult following, but I have to say I hate it. First of all, it smells like... spit. If it has worked, maybe I could get over the scent, but sadly it doesn't. After using up the whole bottle, I can honestly say that I see no difference whatsoever on my skin. It doesn't make my skin worse but there's no improvement in my skin tone, pores and blemishes. Like the Facial Treatment Clear Lotion, it also contains paraben. I'll definitely NOT repurchase this because I just don't see the point in using this as my skin looks exactly the same!

I said this before, and I have to repeat it now: My skin doesn't love high-end products! Hopefully, this will serve as a reminder for me not to splurge on purse-rippingly expensive items in the future (well, maybe not!).

REVIEW: BIORE FACIAL FOAM ACNE CARE

Lately I've been really good at finishing off skincare products :3 This morning I finally used up the last bit of my Biore Facial Foam Acne Care. 

The good: This cleanser is ideal for oily/combination skin in summer as it effectively gets rid of dirt, oil, and even makeup on the face without drying the skin out. It's non-acnegenic, non-comedogenic, and super super cheap :)

The bad: I first used it in spring when the weather was still cold, and it was a tad too drying for me. I had to stop using it and waited till the warmer months. So, this cleanser is definitely not suitable for those with dry skin. The instruction says to get about 3cm of product, but a pea-sized amount is more than enough. Although it has salicylic acid and is labeled as an "acne-care" cleanser, it neither prevents nor heals my hormonal acnes. It also contains alcohol and paraben, which doesn't bother me, but some people may wish to avoid this. A minor complaint is that despite its big size (130g), it only lasts for about 2 months.

Verdict: 7/10

Repurchase?: No because it doesn't impress me that much.

REVIEW: HADA LABO AHA+BHA EXFOLIATING FACE WASH FOAM

I officially ran out of my Hada Labo AHA+BHA Exfoliating Face Wash Foam yesterday, and I was ECSTATIC! I don't know about you guys, but every time I use up a beauty product, I feel extremely happy because: 1. It gives me a sense of accomplishment, 2. I can move on to another product, and 3. My beauty product is less... cramped (it's like, overflowing with stuffs right now). So, to commemorate this joyful occasion, I'll write a review about this cleanser :P

This foaming cleanser contains glycolic acid - a type of AHA - which is an extremely popular exfoliating ingredient. It's present in Alpha-H Liquid Gold, Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner, Pixi Glow Tonic, and many other brands. Salicylic acid - or BHA - is very common in anti-blemish products, like Origins Super Spot Remover, Dermalogica Overnight Clearing Gel, and Clinique Anti-blemish Solutions line. It has anti-inflammatory and pore-unclogging effects. One thing to remember when using this cleansing foam or any exfoliating products: You should wear sunscreen when going out because your skin is more sensitive towards sunlight after being exfoliated.

The good: This cleanser removed all the dirt, oil and possible makeup/sunscreen residues on my face. It also made my skin feel smoother after usage without clogging my pores or breaking me out. The product was housed in a cute yet effective and practical bottle. When I used Tonymoly Dr. Tony AC Control Bubble Foam and Etude House Baking Powder Bubble Cleansing Moist, there was always some bit of products that the pumps couldn't reach. Meanwhile, the pump of Hada Labo AHA+BHA Exfoliating Face Wash Foam successfully pushed out every last bit of liquid. I even opened the lid to look inside and there was absolutely nothing left! Like other Hada Labo products, this cleanser is free of fragrances, mineral oil, alcohol and colorant.

The bad: Despite containing AHA and BHA, this cleanser didn't replace my regular exfoliator and acne treatment. It couldn't take away my dead skin cells, unclog my pores or heal/prevent my acnes. In summer, I usually used it once a day because it was a tad too strong and stripping if used twice daily. My face felt a little bit tight if I didn't apply a moisturizer right away. In winter, I only used it once in a while when I wanted to deep-clean my face, because it could dry out my skin when used everyday. In short, I would recommend this to people with oily skin (who don't mind products containing paraben), but not to those with dry or sensitive skin.

Score: 7/10

Repurchase?: No coz I'd like to buy something which can be used twice daily. 

- 

REVIEW: TOP 5 WORST BASE PRODUCTS

If you've been following my blog, you'd know that I mostly write separate reviews for each products, but this time I wanna do something new, which is combine every base products that I've hated over the years into this one post. These are all BB creams and CC creams. I did try some horrible foundations before but they have since been discontinued (well, serve 'em right!), so I won't mention them here. Side note: I have combination skin with oily T-zone and normal/dehydrated cheeks.

1. Tonymoly Luminous Bright Aura CC Cream SPF 30 PA++: 

(source: etonymoly.com)

This product successfully tops the list of the worst base products I've ever tried! I got a sample from Tonymoly and was so excited because I hadn't used any CC creams before it. Tonymoly claimed that it had whitening and moisturizing property, as well as provided natural color change. As it turned out, the result left me speechless. It had zero coverage and oil-control property. It wasn't even moisturizing! It made my skin became incredibly WHITE (just like a sunscreen's white cast), as well as emphasized every single dry patch on my face and made it look extra dry, cakey and flaky. I couldn't find any good things about this product and I was so glad I didn't purchase it.

2. It's Skin Star Cream:

Star Cream is It's Skin own version of CC cream. I love It's Skin skincare, especially their Power 10 line, so it pains me to have to put one of their product into the worst products list. I wouldn't say much about this because I've already written a full review about it, which you can read here. In short, the pros are non-existent and the cons are quite similar to that of Tonymoly CC Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream SPF30 PA++.

3. Laneige Snow BB Soothing Cushion SPF50+ PA+++:

This product has also been reviewed right here on my blog. It's the opposite of the first two products as it was too dark for my skin tone and made my face super greasy. 

4. Tonymoly BB Fit Perfect 24 SPF30 PA++:

This is the 2nd Tonymoly base product to appear in this list (well done, Tonymoly!) The color fit me better than the Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream, but somehow, it still managed to accentuate all the dry patches in my face (even those I didn't even know I had!). The staying power wasn't great either (about 2 hours), so much for the Perfect 24 claim! Another minor complaint is the amount of product inside the sample tube. It looked big, but I was only able to get 2 usages out of it :(

5. The Body Shop Vitamin E Cool BB Cream:

Recently, The Body Shop Vietnam has become more generous with their samples so I was able to get one sachet of the Vitamin E Cool BB Cream. Let's dissect it claim by claim :P

• Hydrates to protect: It was hydrating, but to the point of feeling super greasy on the skin! Right after applying it, my face felt so tacky and the feeling remained until it was taken off. Even powdering didn't make the greasiness go away :( 
• Evens tone: This BB cream had super sheer and non-buildable coverage. It did manage to cover up the uneven skin tone around my nose and on my chin, but not my dark circles or my acnes.
• Fresh-looking skin: Unlike other BB creams which gave a subtle glow to my face, this one just made me look dull. Because of its greasiness, my skin just looked oily instead of glowing :(
• One cool shade: I was quite lucky because this shade fit my skin really well. 

However, to me, the ultimate deal breaker was the staying power. The BB cream started to fade (unevenly, I may add) after one hour and my face just looked HORRIBLE, like I had nothing on (but not in a good way). I looked sad, dull, oily and greasy.  

That's the end of my top 5 worst base products. I think I'm quite lucky because most of them are just samples that I received as GWPs (except the Laneige one). I hope this post will be helpful to you when you consider buying a new base product. Have a nice day guys, and I'll see you soon with a (hopefully) more positive post! 

HUGE JAPAN AND KOREA BEAUTY HAUL!

Hello everyone! Long time no update but I was so exhausted after my Japan - Korea trip to actually write anything. It was only the day before yesterday that I mustered enough strength and... yes, courage, to sort through all of my purchases. Side note: This haul may seem humungous to you but these products are for one-year usage as I don't think I could afford another overseas trip this year T-T.

JAPAN HAUL

In my opinion, Japanese sunscreens are DA BOMB. They sink in so quickly without leaving any sticky and oily residue behind, as well as protect my super pale skin from getting burn in the sun. One down side: they're tiny. That's why I stocked up lots of them when I had the chance to visit Japan.

From left to right: Anessa Whitening UV Protector SPF32 PA+++, Nivea Sun Protect Water Gel Super SPF50 PA+++, Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk SPF50+ PA+++, Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Water Base SPF50+ PA+++, Sunplay Super Block SPF50+ PA++++

I've never tried any facial oils before, but they are well-loved among beauty gurus' community, so I have to try one. I want to start with an affordable one in case my skin doesn't agree with oils. I only intended to buy one bottle of Bioil (aka Bio-Oil), but as I went through my bag, I realized I accidentally bought two T-T My shopping basket was so full at the time that the first one I bought was buried underneath my other purchases. Oh well, let's hope that it's good. I also picked up two Nivea lip balms, Mentholatum Medicated Stick SPF19, Nivea Creme and DHC Lip Cream (which I'm currently using, that's why it's out of the packaging).

Apart from sunscreens, a must-buy for me in Japan is mascara! I just adore Kiss Me Long & Curl Mascara that I actually bought 3 of them, and I also purchased Kiss Me Volume & Curl Mascara to try out.

In my opinion, Japanese make the best makeup remover, especially ones targeted for waterproof makeup. I picked three bottles of my HG makeup remover/ cleanser: Bifesta Cleansing Liquid, as well as three Bifesta Eye Makeup Remover, which removes my waterproof mascaras like a dream! I also bought a brand new product called Bifesta Cleansing Wash Moist.

I just love Japanese shampoos coz they're so gentle yet effective. I got four of them: Ichikami Smoothing Shampoo (which is currently sitting in my bathroom), Ichikami Moisturizing Shampoo, Essential Nuance Airy Shampoo, and Essential Rich Premier Shampoo. Since I loved Ichikami so much, I felt like I had to try out their Hair Treatment Serum.

OK, aren't these shower gels just the cutest things ever? >.< I've never even heard of the brands before but what sealed the deal were: 1. the packaging, 2. the cheap price (¥864), and 3. they were endorsed by Matsumoto Jun! I'm not his fan but since he's a famous actor, these shower gels must not be too bad :3 

And here's Matsumoto's ad for Savon de Bouquet Body Wash :3

The very last thing I bought from Japan was Bourjois Cream Blush in 03 Rose Tender. I'd wanted to try this for a long long time, so when I saw this in a Matsumoto Kiyoshi store, I instantly snatched it up.

KOREA HAUL

Most of my purchases in Korea were done in duty-free stores. As you may know from reading my blog, I ADORE It's Skin Power 10 line, so of course I had to bulk-buy them. They were like, USD8 per bottle, about 2.5 times cheaper than in Vietnam, so I bought 12 of them (yes, I go through one bottle per month when using twice daily). Since my eye cream was about to run out, I also picked up It's Skin Collagen Voluming Eye Cream. I'd always wanted to try out It's Skin Lemon Sunshine Oil Toner and It's Skin Lemon Full Watery Oil, but sadly, they're unavailable in Vietnam. So imagine my happiness when I finally saw them in the store! Since It's Skin is ridiculously cheap in Korea, I bought 4 of my favorite facial sunscreen - 2PM Sun Block SPF50+ PA+++. My only non-duty-free purchase was Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner.

Of course what's a haul without my favorite makeup items - lipsticks? I purchased loads of bright lip colors, which I much prefer over the pale ones as the latter tend to wash me out. My favorites are Clio Lipnicure in #4 Cynical Orange, #6 Rumor Coral, and #7 Tension Red. The two MAC lipsticks - Vegas Volt and Morange were kinda a let-down for me, but again, I've never found any MAC lip products that I truly love. I got two base makeup products from Korea: Innisfree No-sebum Mineral Pact and Hera CC Cream SPF35 PA++.

My last-minute buy in Korea was Origins Clear Improvement Active charcoal mask to clear pores. I'm using it now and so far so good :)

Phew, that's the end of my Japan and Korea beauty haul. I'll see you soon with many new reviews :)

TRAVEL SERIES PART 2: MY TRAVEL MAKEUP BAG

Hi everyone! I'm back with part 2 of my travel series. Today I'm gonna talk about what makeup products I bring with me in my upcoming holiday.

This super kawaii bag is a GWP that I got from It's Skin. It's just freakin' adorable >.<

• Base makeup: Skin79 VIP Gold Collection Super+ Beblesh Balm and Skin79 Sun Protect Beblesh Pact SPF30 PA++. Both products have been reviewed on my blog. Just click on their names and you'll be redirected to the posts.   
• Concealer: Skinfood Salmon Darkcircle Concealer Cream. This doesn't completely cover up my dark circles, but again I haven't found any concealer that does this, so it'll have to do.

• Eye makeup: I don't wear eyeshadow but eyebrow powder and mascara are must-have items for me. KATE Designing Eyebrow N and Kiss Me Heroine Make Long&Curl Mascara fit the bill perfectly. 

• Blusher: I love KATE Cheek Color S in PK-1 (click on the name to see full review). It's a very natural and pretty pink shade. 
• Lipstick: Since I plan on purchasing several lipsticks overseas, I only bring one with me and it's Tonymoly Prestige Crystal Lipstick SPF13 in Muse Coral which I raved about when I first started my blog. The color makes my face look brighter, livelier and the lipstick itself has SPF13! 
• Makeup tools: I love bringing The Body Shop Retractable Blusher Brush when travelling because it's small, compact, light and has a lid! I hate using powder puff because it makes my face look cakey. For eyes, I always curl my lashes before applying mascara. I've used Shiseido Eyelash Curler for about 4 years and it's still going strong ^^ I also have Etude House Eyebrow Razor to trim my eyebrows. I never pluck my brows as I'm afraid it'll make my eyes become droopy.

Well, that's everything I plan to put in my makeup bag. Wish you all a happy holiday :)