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these days, you can get any influence from anywhere. including getting a beauty recommendation from a travel/foodies blogger. i was about to go to japan with my husband last year when i saw anakjajan's instagram, and she said that she liked to buy this eyebrow pencil because it's easy to use and cheap. obviously, i became curious because eyebrow pencil is something that i used up really quickly and i tend to like cheaper eyebrow pencil because i buy them often. so, i was glad i could find it in japan. however, since i was in a hurry, i only remembered that there were only 3 shades in the store that i went to, while in the website they had 8 shades. oh well. let's see how it goes.

this is the description from their website: 3 functions in one! easy to use trend color easy eyebrow. to a natural eyebrow with a three dimensional effect. with three functions of pencil, powder, and brush in one, even beginner can easily achieve a professional grade finish.
- pencil: an elliptical core pencil that is neither too hard nor too soft. you can draw each eyebrow easily and carefully.
- powder: a powder that is easy to add shades and blur. a sharp tip that can be drawn even finely.
- brush: a screw brush with a soft touch.
there are 8 shades: greyish brown (B2), honey brown (B5), natural brown (B6), maroon brown (B7), ash brown (B8), camel brown (B9), royal brown (B10), bitter brown (B11).
the packaging
description at the back
the packaging: it comes in a usual packaging, the product with cardboard backing with printed description  at the back, covered with hard plastic to secure the product. you can read the shade number at front but since all texts are in japanese, i can't read the shade name. they also color coordinated the color used in the packaging with the shade, so you can probably guess the color from the packaging.
the eyebrow pencil
the color: like i said, when i was at the store, there were only three options, and i picked B10. later i found out that it was a royal brown, a brown slightly toward reddish side shade.
the pencil side
hand swatch of the pencil

the product: just like it said in the website, it's a 3 in 1 products, means it has a pencil, a powder and a spoolie. the pencil is elliptical, and it's really not too hard nor too soft. i can use the side to draw my eyebrow easily. you can twist the pencil part to get it out, but they don't put any cap to cover it. and when you twist the body just slightly above the pencil part, you can retrieve the sponge/powder part. it's similar to other japanese eyebrow 3 in 1 product. it's a sharp-tip sponge that's already dipped in the powder. the powder is really soft to blur the pencil sharp mark. at the other end, there's the spoolie. it is short and covered with a transparent plastic cap. i like how the spoolie is not scratchy, but it's too short for my taste. but i get accustomed with it just fine.
the sponge tip
bottom: the powder swatch on my hand
the result: well, i am relieved that the color is a good match for me. it's not too reddish nor too dark. however, i don't think it stays on for so long as it's just a powder and pencil, it's easily removed even with a finger scratch. and again, i'm not sure how the powder works since it's very subtle. 
the spoolie
top: before
bottom: after
though it works well and it's not that expensive and the colors work well for me, it's not available here and i never see online shops sell this one, so until i can go back to japan again, i don't think i'll repurchase this. but, since i think the 3 in 1 thing is a waste, i think i'll find another option that only has the pencil and the spoolie, without the powder/sponge tip. if you're a beginner, and like 3 in 1 eyebrow, don't mind for having to re do your eyebrow after several hours, then you can put this in your list, especially if you can get this. but if you can't, don't worry, there are tons of other eyebrow pencils out there. you're not missing a thing if you didn't try this one. 
missha FTE has been said as dupe of SK II, but i haven't tried any of their FTE, from the original version to the latest version. but there was sale on sociolla website that i decided to buy the newest version of the serum as well as the mini sample of the FTE. i bought only the mini size because i was afraid i might not like it and it was not on sale as the serum one, so the mini size is a good choice for now. many people like missha FTE, so let's see how it goes.
 
description from misshaus website: the new and improved time revolution the first treatment RX features a brand new fermentation method called double fermentation which is done one in warm temperatures and once in cool temperatures to create a more powerful and active extract that is more efficiently delivered to the skin. moisturizes, hydrates, brightens, reduces wrinkles, and improves elasticity. recommended for normal/sensitive skin types. 
key ingredients: 
- fermented cicaenzyme: moisturizes and balances skin.
- pearl reef extracts: the pearl reef extracts that are soaked in vinegar exfoliate dead skin cells and make skin texture smooth, bright and dewy.
- rice extract: nourishing extract full of vitamins make skin smooth and bright.
ingredients: yeast ferment extract, 1,2-hexanediol, niacinamide, bifida ferment lysate, water, diethoxyethyl succinate, propanediol sodium PCA, ethylhexylglycerin, adenosine, polyquaternium-51, xanthan gum, butylene glycol, vinegar, oryza sativa (rice) extract, glycerin, pearl powder, ceramide NP, cholesterol, hydrogenated lecithin.
the box
description at the back
the packaging: though this is a mini size, it comes in a white cardbox, similar to the full size one. description at the back of the box is in english. they also printed the ingredients list on box as well. inside, the mini size comes in an oval shape plastic bottle with metallic screw cap, totally miniature of the full size one. usually FTE comes in a glass bottle, round glass bottle as usual, transparent so you can see the inside. but this time, they changed the shape into oval one. though everything else is kept simple as the earlier version. there's a bit description on the back of the bottle as well. the opening of the bottle is big like mini toner's opening, but there's a bit unique design about it. the essence won't come out or only come out a bit until you push the bottle's body to squirt more. so there's no need to worry about pouring too much.
ingredients list
the bottle
the scent: it's scentless, but you can probably sniff the natural scent of the ingredients. but no foul smell from fermented ingredients.
from top you can see the oval shape as well as the opening
the product: it is a transparent water, looks like water and the consistency is runny like water. it spreads easily and being absorbed easily as well. no tacky feeling afterward. it layers well under and over other skincare products that i use. 
FTE on my hand
after patting it in
the result: right off bat i could feel that it's hydrating. i can layer it without any problem. with one layer, i can feel it's hydrating for my skin, but when my skin is a bit drier than usual, i usually need two layers. compared to other FTE that i've used, this is more hydrating than secret key FTE which also comes in watery consistency. it's more hydrating but slightly less moisturizing compared to purito essence that i also love.

i have to say that this one is definitely a keeper. i think it's suitable for all skin types, but since this contains fermented extract, you should try whether or not your skin is sensitive to it. since i only use this for almost a month, i can only feel the hydrating and moisturizing effect, i don't see the brightening effect yet. but i also use other product that contains brightening ingredients as well, so the result may vary. looking at the ingredients, it contains niacinamide, rice extract and pearl powder that is widely known as brightening ingredients, so it might show result if being used regularly. it also contains lots of moisturizing ingredients like niacinamide, butylene glycol, sodium PCA, glycerin, and ceramide. i never tried other version, so i can't say that this is better than other version, but since this is the latest version available, i can say that it's a good FTE to try. but if you don't have the budget, there are other options to try. oh, and if you asked me, between the ampoule and the FTE, i think it's worth to get the FTE than the ampoule.
going to japan means sunscreen buying time for me. living in a tropical country, sunscreen is a must in my daily routine. i didn't wear sunscreen regularly back in my younger days (fyi, i am super pale, so i was thinking that i might get tan if i skip sunscreen and went under the sun as much as i can. little did i know that i couldn't tan.. so fast forward to myself after getting married and just delivered my first son, i decided to know more about korean skincare, and using sunscreen more regularly. after reading fiddysnails, sunscreen became a daily must in my routine). so... since i like japanese sunscreens a lot, i usually buy them while we went to japan for holiday. they have lots of types and brands (probably because i went there on summertime), and it felt like sunscreen galore in the drugstore. i usually buy essence or gel type sunscreen. i've tried the spray form, but i didn't like it that much, so i decided this time to try a stick. actually i wanted to try spray from other brand, but i couldn't find it, so stick it is for now. 

this is description from yesstyle website: non sticky formula is comfortable and can be reapplied multiple times throughout the day without leaving a white cast. its broad spectrum of SPF 50+PA++++ protects skin from UVA and UVB rays! free of artificial colorants, fragrance, alcohol and preservatives.
major ingredients: cyclopentasiloxane, synthetic wax, isononyl isononanoate, caprylylmethicone, ethyhexyl polysilicone-15, bisethylhexyl oxyphenol methoxy phenyl triazine, PEG-10 hydrogenated castor oil, pentylene glycol

the packaging: it comes in usual sunscreen packaging, with cardboard backing that has description at the back of it in japanese as usual, and plastic cover to cover the product. the sunscreen itself comes in a plastic cylinder tube that has combination of white and blue color. another description in japanese on the back. i don't know how much should a sunscreen stick weighs, but this one comes in 10 g. while usual sunscreen essence or gel that i used comes in 30 ml to 50 ml. and even more if i bought in giant size. 
how the stick looks like
the scent: i don't pick any scent, but usually sunscreen has distinct scent that i can't describe. but nothing to worry though. 
description at the back
the product: as this is my first stick sunscreen, i honestly don't know what to expect. it's just like ordinary stick. feels waxy to the touch and glides easily on my skin. i can use it on my face and arms without any problems. since this one is cylinder in shape, it's a bit tricky to reach the sides of my nose bridge and my nose sides. i have a bit crooked nose, so it's a bit bumpy to apply on nose area but it's okay anywhere else. especially for arms area, it's easy to apply all over my arms quickly. i especially like this for travelling with kids, as i only need to bring this one and it's easier to apply stick for kids since it's not messy and kids can apply it themselves. 
left: the sunscreen stick inside the tube
so sorry since i almost used it all so i can't take pic of the sunscreen stick showing out of the tube

the result: i've brought this while travelling with kids awhile back before the pandemic started, and it's a good idea. it's easy to use on the go, kids can reapply it everywhere. they don't mind putting it on their face and arms and even though we've spent under the sun at around noon time in the dino park, kids were not burned at all. so i guess it really works. as for me, it's a bit oily for my face, and a bit sticky feeling if you reapply it on sweaty skin, even though you have patted it dry before. no white cast whatsoever if you're curious. 
after apply it on my hand
i have to say, this is a good sunscreen option if you're lazy to bring your current sunscreen or you don't like spray sunscreen to re-apply your sunscreen. since it's a stick, it's a fuss free, no mess, easy to put inside your bag and easy to apply. my kids have no problem using it, but as for me, i think i'll just use it on my body as it's a bit too oily for my face. however, we've been using this straight for 3 days, though i might use it sometimes some other days, but this one runs out pretty quick. but let me remind you that we solely use this sunscreen for 3 days straight for 3 kids and me, so probably it will last longer if you're using it alone. will i repurchase? unfortunately, this one is discontinued earlier this year, so even though i want to, i cannot. i hope skin aqua will come up with another sun stick since i like how fuss free it is for the kids. but i have another sunscreen stick in my stash, so let's see about that one.
i love snail and i love mini kit. somehow my skin love anything that has snail in its ingredients. so far i like benton snail bee serum best. other snail products that i've tried are benton snail gel (the pink one in the tube) and cosrx snail essence. lately, some my mi released snail products too, but i'm torn since some people said that it irritated their skin. thankfully they released a mini kit, so i bought it to try all the products in this line to find out which one that i like best before purchasing the full size item. i think mini kits are best. we can try them in mini size before committing into full size. talking about some by mi, this is considered a newer brand in korean skincare world that gains its popularity thanks to its AHA BHA PHA line. especially the serum type. and now, they have several lines of products, but none appeals to me until the snail line comes out. so let's see how my skin reacts to it.

this is the description from yesstyle website: formulated with highly concentrated 420.000 ppm of snail truecica consisting of tea tree, cica and mugwort to soothe irritated skin quickly, as well as black snail mucin to repair damaged skin barrier. for long-lasting effects, this repair cream is also infused with marine collagen, 5 kinds of ceramide and peptide to strengthen skin barrier. it boasts a lightweight, fast-absorbing formula that does not leave a sticky feeling, making it suitable for all skin types.

ingredients list: water, snail secretion filtrate (40%), propanediol, dicaprylyl carbonate, polyglyceryl-3 methylglucose distearate, niacinamide, 1,2-hexanediol, melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf extract (10.000 ppm), centella asiatica (gotu kola) extract (10.000 ppm), butylene glycol, cyclomethicone, cetearyl alcohol, squalane, glyceryl stearate, carbomer, tromethamine, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil, sodium polyacrylate, madecassoside (1.000 ppm), ethylhexylglycerin, artemisia princeps leaf extract (1.000 ppm), hydrolyzed collagen, glycerin, adenosine, disodium EDTA, salvia officinalis (sage) oil, tocopherol, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrogenated lecithin, asiaticoside (400 ppb), madecassic acid (360 ppb), asiatic acid (240 ppb), stearic acid, ceramide NP, ceramide NS, phytosphingosine, cholesterol, ceramide AS, ceramide AP, ceramide EOP, limonene, linalool.
the whole kit
description at the back
the packaging: the mini kits come in red holographic cardboard box with the picture of all products inside at front. at the back you can find the description of each product in korean. i think they also put ingredients list as well, but since everything is in korean, i don't know for sure. the cream mini size itself comes in red plastic tube with black screw cap. there's a bit description at the back of the tube in korean. the cream comes in 20 g, which is slightly less than usual mini cream size (30 g). they put aluminium sealing on the hole. i guess most korean products are sealed inside to make sure nothing is spilled during shipping.
the seal on the box
all products inside the kit
the scent: i honestly forget to take notes about the scent. but i think the cream is scented. but nothing too much though, or i couldn't get to finish the cream.
the cream tube
description at the back
the product: it's a white gel-like cream. the consistency is lightweight, more lightweight than my usual night cream. compared to drunk elephant protini, this one is slightly more lightweight. it is stringy like other snail product would be, but not as stringy as cosrx snail essence. it leaves watery traces glow after spreading it around.
sealing on the hole
the result: i have to say considering that the cream has lots of moisturizing ingredients like squalane, glycerin, tocopherol and even ceramide, this cream is really lightweight. it gives my skin hydration and moisture without clogging it. but it doesn't feel rich enough to be a night cream. somehow i feel it's not occlusive enough. i even use more than i usually use to make sure my skin is well moisturized at night. i use this at night, but i think you can use it daytime too considering how lightweight it is. it also has niacinamide and adenosine which can helps in brightening, but since i also use propolis ampoule and other skincare that also has brightening effect, i don't see any difference in my skin brightness after adding this cream into my routine. as for the snail properties, it does help soothing my skin and speeding up the healing process whenever i have acne, but it doesn't help in preventing it. it also doesn't feel sticky.
cream on my hand
after patting it in
i have to say, the cream is okay, but nothing special. i agree that this cream can be used for all skin types, though if you have super dry skin or live in winter, it might not be enough. but it layers well over and under other product, so probably you can top it up with a sleeping mask. as for me, i don't think it's special enough to repurchase the full size. and i still have a bunch of other moisturizer in my stash, so i don't think i'll repurchase this one soon. anyway, some by mi products are easier to get now since they have official store in shopee. price wise, it might be slightly more expensive than pre-ordering this via online shop, but i guess buying from the official store is a guarantee that you will get the genuine product. 
as i've said in other post, i usually ask my husband to buy me beauty stuff when he was abroad. so when he was going to europe, i asked him to buy me essence cosmetics stuff. back then, essence wasn't available in indonesia yet. essence is famous for their mascaras, so i asked him to buy a bunch of essence mascara. luckily he was able to buy those mascaras in pairs. 
 
description on the website: go ahead, be dramatic! the deep black texture and unique shape of the fiber brush ensures dramatic volume and a gorgeous false lash effect. vegan, paraben free, cruelty free.
left is the extreme volume and curl
right is the dramatic volume
the packaging: it comes in usual mascara tube, i think they only seal the outer part but nothing else. the tube is a white plastic tube with similar design between two mascaras. the only difference is the color. for this type, it's the orange one. while the other is pink.
the tapered straight brush
the color: there's only one color for all essence mascara, which is black. 
description at the back of the tube
the product: compared to japanese mascara, this one is longer thus the want is longer and the brush is slightly bigger as well. the brush is straight but tapered on one end. it's similar to the lash princess the purple one. just like the other one, the brush picks up too much product so i have to scrape off most of it so it won't get clumpy on my eyelashes.
top: before
bottom: after
the result: as you can see from the picture above, this mascara helps lengthening my eyelashes. it also helps curling it too. but i need to be careful to scrape most of it so it won't get clumpy. as for longevity, i don't use makeup as long as i used to be, so i can't say anything about longevity. but it doesn't get flaky. i also don't need separate mascara remover to remove this mascara.

as you can see, i like this one better than the other one. i wish i could make the other one works, but however i tried, i failed. oh well.. i have to use this one up as soon as possible because essence mascara tends to dried out easily. if you're curious about the other one, you can read it here. price wise, essence mascaras are really affordable, so it won't hurt trying it. anyway, i have a couple more essence mascaras to try, so i'm really excited to see which one is better in the next upcoming pair.
my husband used to travel a lot before the pandemic, and i didn't go along with him. so as exchange, i asked him to buy me beauty stuff. of course i gave him a long list to buy. in case he didn't find some, he could still get something else. so when he went to europe, i asked him to buy essence cosmetics stuff (back then, essence wasn't available here, though.. it's not easily accessible until today, and the products are limited too). talking about essence, obviously i have to try their mascaras. so i told him to buy several essence mascaras. unfortunately, he couldn't find the lash princess one (the green one), but he managed to buy anything else. i've never heard of this mascara before, so i'm curious about them as well. there are two of them who looks similar, so i would test them side by side and tell you which one is my favorite among two. so let's see this one first.

description on their website: extra volume, extra curl! our super innovative curl fiber brush ensures maximum volume and curved lashes with a false lash look. vegan, paraben free, cruelty free.

the packaging: white tube with black cap, similar design as the other one. the difference is the color of the label. for this type, it's fuchsia, while the other one is orange. my husband bought this while he was in europe, so the description is written in english, deutsch and french. they only seal the tube with plastic sealing. 
both mascaras have similar design
the color: there's only one color, black. i think all essence mascaras are black. no other color.
description on the tube
the product: compared to japanese mascaras, essence mascaras are bigger in size. thus the wand is longer as well. i cannot say that western mascaras are bigger than japanese mascara as it's been awhile since i'm using maybelline or loreal mascaras. everything else is similar to the other one, but the difference is the brush. for this type, it has curved wand. the bristles are more brush like, dense enough. however, probably for asian eyes, or smaller eyes, the brush would be too big to reach shorter eyelashes. one thing that's similar to other essence mascaras that i've tried is that the brush picks up too much product initially. i have to brush it off most of it so it won't get clumpy on my eyelashes. this mascara is easy to remove as well. i don't need separate mascara remover to take it off. i can clean it off with my usual cleansing oil. 
the curve wand
the result: usually i like curved wand as it helps curling my eyelashes. fyi i don't use eyelash curler simply because i have no time. with kids running around, it's easier to just using it straight on my eyelashes. but i don't know what's wrong with this one. i can't make it works for me. the brush picks up too much product so i have to scrape most of it so it doesn't get clumpy. however, somehow it doesn't work. if you look at my picture, it only helps with volume, but i have to be careful as it's easily get clumpy. it doesn't help much with the curling either. luckily, it doesn't flaky or anything. as for the longevity, i don't wear makeup as long as i used to, so i can't say anything about the longevity.
top: before
bottom: after
i guess you can see which one i like better. i don't like this mascara because i can't make it works for me. this is the first essence mascara that i don't like. i can't say that it's a bad one. it does volumizing and a bit curling, but if you saw the other one, you'd agree that the other one is better. totally won't repurchase. pricewise, all essence products are affordable, so it won't hurt your wallet. if you're curious about the other one, you can read it here.
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