[Store Review] Lush N' Blush To Sarawak, Malaysia

Prices: 8/10 

Packaging: 10/10 

Shipping: 10/10

Samples: 10/10

Repurchase: Yes 

Lush N' Blush

I saw this website as an advertisement on Skinfood Malaysia because it's successfully become the only authorised Skinfood online seller in Malaysia. Lush N' Blush did a relaunch promotion late last month where shipping was free with all purchases so I headed to the store to check out the range of Skinfood products they offered. I was surprised to find that they stoke a pretty wide variety of Freeman masks for really competitive prices and couldn't resist. >< On the other hand, the Skinfood products that they do carry, seems to be a tad overpriced. There are some products that aren't available on online stores elsewhere, but are available for cheaper on Althea Malaysia. 

The site is pretty easy to navigate. I particularly enjoy the fact that there wasn't any annoying popouts getting in my face. 

A Little Background

The site has been around since 2013 and offers an extensive selection of  head-to-toe beauty and care. Their 'About us' page doesn't really go into much detail beyond sharing that it aims to bring consumers the best quality brands from around the globe at affordable prices. 

The three main brands that they carry appear to be Skinfood (obviously), China Glaze (nail polish) and Freeman. They also carry Corine de Farme, evian, BioZ, Titania, Nature's Bounty, and many more brands, though the selection for the other brands aren't as extensive as the first three. 

Shipping and Packaging

Shipping is free for orders over RM50 in West Malaysia and orders over RM100 in East Malaysia. Otherwise, it's RM10 and RM15 respectively, which isn't too bad. I think the tresholds are easily achievable. 

As for packaging, I was quite pleased with what arrived at my door. As you can see in the picture above (and below of my purchase), they have a sturdy carboard box where they stuff their products in. My order arrived within 3 days of ordering, which is pretty impressive.

My Purchase & Samples

I admit, I was hungry when I made this haul. I actually wasn't looking to buy anything new, but then I saw they carried a good selection of Freemanbeauty products so I couldn't resist. They were only RM15 (~$3.6) each too, which made things extra hard. In conjunction, there was free shipping along with their relaunch and well... I just had to get my hands on this Freeman Chocolate and Strawberry Clay Mask because it sounded delicious. 

Everything else in the purchase were extra gifts that they so generously gave me in conjuction with their relaunching. 

My mini haul included: 

• Freeman Chocolate & Strawberry Clay Mask - RM15 for 150ml
• This indulgent mask does more than tantalize your taste buds! Tone skin and diminish the appearance of large pores with oil-absorbing clays. Delight in delectable Chocolate and Strawberry while Shea and Cocoa Butter moisturize for smoother, softer skin

• Freeman Diamond Mineral Rinse Mask - RM6.90 for 15ml - Free
• Boosts Brilliance & Radiance your skin. Polish away dullness to reveal multi-faceted radiance. Antioxidant Sparkleberry extract helps fight off environmental assaults to enhance skin's look and feel over time. Unique mask rinses clean for a lasting, super-cool finish.
• China Glaze Black Mesh - RM15 - Free
• A night-black crackle polish: Chip Resistant, Long-Lasting, Durable
• Freeman Charcoal & Black Sugar Polishing Mask - Free

I played around with the nail polish but it was completely black and it freaked my bf out, so... yeah... need to repurpose that somehow. I didn't apply a second coat to the polish and it started chipping on the second day, which was pretty disappointing in my opinion. 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Free Shipping at RM50 (West Malaysia) and RM100 (East Malaysia)
• Lots of samples (although I'm not certain how generous they would be with samples post launching promotion). 
• Freeman products are cheap and definitely worth getting
• Definitely get the 150ml tubes instead of the 15ml. The prices for 15ml is half the 150ml even though 150ml has literally 10 times more product. 

Cons

• Skinfood items a little expensive
• Free shipping treshold might be a little hard to reach for those in Sabah Sarawak (like me)

Prices: 8/10 

Packaging: 10/10 

Shipping: 10/10

Samples: 10/10

Repurchase: Yes 

[Mini Haul] Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence

Mini Haul from: BB Cosmetic

(use codeC10T190S3 for 10% off) 

Packaging: 10/10 

Shipping: 9/10 (2 weeks) 

Samples: 10/10 

Money Spent: $6.61 (RM26.33)

Current price: $11.06 (after 10% code) on BB Cosmetic

What I Bought

I've heard so many good things about this so when it came on sale as one of BB Cosmetic's facebook 50% off, I've reviewed BB Cosmetic here if you're curious about their store. they're a Korean store that ships internationally for no extra cost, no minimum purchase.

Shipping & Samples

I bought this on June 29th, 2016 and it arrived on July 14th, 2016. That's about 2 weeks shipping time to Malaysia in SEA, which is really impressive since it's free shipping!

I will never not be impressed by the amount of samples given to me together with my purhcases from that site. Again, this meager purchase came with two The Face Shop cushion foundation puffs, one The Face Shop Face it Power Perfection BB Cream Sample, and one The Face Shop Blanclouding White Moisture Cream Sample.

Ingredients

Snail Secretion Filtrate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Arbutin, Human Ogliopeptide-1, Bee Venom, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Laminana Digita Extract, Dios Pyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Ulmus Campestris (Elm) Extract, Bacilus Ferment, Azelaic Acid, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Cross Polymer, Adenosine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Arginine

The only possible acne trigger here, as seen on cosdna, is butylene glycol. However, this product contains 90% snail mucin and bee venom so if you're allergic to either, it's probably best to avoid this essence altogether. The ingredients aim to fade acne scars, brighten skin tone and maintain hydration throughout the day. Snail mucin supports natural cell regeneration and replenishes moisture to increase firmness, and bee venom has natural anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. The gel-like essence is also fragrance free! Best recommended for those with sensitive and troubled skin. It's suitable for all skin types though!

First Impression

This essence step goes before my ampoule and after my Hada Labo toner/lotion. This isn't  moisturizing enough on it's own, so a moisturizer needs to be applied after. As you can see, the consistency of the essence is fairly gel-like. It applies wet to the skin and spreads well. Maybe one or two pumps will be enough to cover my whole face. It's not sticky and absorbs to the skin quickly.

It's unscented, which is a pleasant change! I was looking for something that can help combat the fine lines uder my eyes and deal with the closed comodones on my cheeks. I'm currently patch testing this, so I'll be reviewing this product in a few month's time. Fingers crossed that it'll work wonders! I have great hopes for this!

Money Spent: $6.61
Samples: 10/10
From: BB Cosmetic

(use codeC10T190S3 for 10% off) 

[Mini Haul] Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping Mask From BBCosmetic

Mini Haul from: BBcosmetic

(use code: C10T190S3 for 10% off. T.T I didn't use this code because I was dumb, pretty much) 

Packaging: 10/10

Shipping: 9/10 (3 weeks)

Samples: 10/10

Money Spent: $6.45

What I Bought

I bought a Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping mask. BBcosmetic has these 50% off sale on their facebook page and I am obsessed with them. It was on sale for $6.45 so naturally, I couldn't resist. I reviewed BBcosmetic here, if you're curious. 

I bought this during a moment of weakness. Because have you seen how adorable the packaging is? It looks like I bought a tiny wine barrel. Unfotunately, I couldn't find many reviews on the Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping Mask but I also couldn't find any reviews that straight up hated it, so I wanted to give it a try. Also, have you seen how cute the packaging is?! Look at me rationalizing my purchase. XD

Shipping & Samples

I bought it on June 23rd, 2016 and it arrived on July 15th, 2016. That's 3 weeks shipping time to Malaysia, SEA, which isn't bad considering I didn't pay anything for shipping!

Woohhh the samples. Have you seen the samples? I really didn't think they would include any samples considering how I already managed to grab this mask at half price but they did anyways! I had two The Face Shop cushion foundation puffs, one The Face Shop Face it Power Perfection BB Cream Sample, and one The Face Shop Blanclouding White Moisture Cream Sample.

Ingredients

Ingredients:Water,Wine Extract,Alcohol,Dipropylene Glycol,Glycereth-26,PEG-240/HDI Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether,Glycerin,Bis-PEG-18Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane,PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3Glycerin,Propylene Glycol,Butylene Glycol,Glyceryl Polyacrylate,Biosaccharide Gum-1,Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/PVP Crosspolymer,Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer,PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil,Phenoxyethanol,Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract,Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract,Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract,Bergenia Ciliata Root Extract,Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract,Impatiens Balsamina Flower Extract,Xanthan Gum,Adenosine,Caprylyl Glycol,Disodium EDTA,Caprylhydroxamic Acid,Fragrance,Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract,Yellow 5 (CI 15985),Red 227 (CI 17200)

There are two possible acne triggers here, which are Butylene Glycol and CI 17200 respectively. Have a look at the cosdna result here.

First Impression

This sleeping mask is intended as the last step of your evening routine to keep all your other serums, essence, ampoules, and basically all your awesome face products in. The Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping mask has anti-wrinkle as well as moisturizing and smoothing effects on the skin. The instructions says to rinse this off with water the following morning. ^^

Unfortunately, they sealed my mini wine barrel so I couldn't contaminate it for your perusal. Apparently, I need to stir this prior to using since they can actually get wine residue on the bottom! That's freaking amazing! I still can't get over how cute the packaging is. Just holding it makes me happy. 

This sleeping mask expires some time in 2018 so I'll have plenty of time to fit this into my routine eventually. ^^ I'll review it once I have some time with it. 

Money Spent: $6.45

Samples: 10/10

From: BBcosmetic

[Store Review] BBcosmetic.com To Sarawak, Malaysia (Korean Store Free International Shipping No Minimum)

Prices: 8/10 
(Enter C10T190S3 for 8% discount)

Packaging: 10/10 

Shipping: 10/10

Samples: 10/10

Repurchase: Yes 

Full disclosure: The only product I paid for in this haul was the Berrisom Tint. Everything else was sponsored by BB Cosmetic. None of the links are affiliated. Everything I've written reflects my personal opinion.

BBcosmetic.com

I saw this website quite by chance. It popped up during a discussion thread in /r/asianbeauty. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the source (it was lost the moment I closed the tab).

Truthfully, at first glance the site was lacklustre. It lacked the oomph and energy that some selling sites imbue their front page with. Instead, they have a very no-nonsense approach to their front page (white background with black font), which has it's advantages because the first thing I saw that they were having a Cosrx sale, which had me really excited. I am very curious about all things Cosrx and am constantly experimenting with new products. The sale brought their prices down to the lowest I have ever seen on any site (when you include shipping). It's an especially sweet deal because they offer free worldwide shipping. 

 A Little Background

AKA, Are they any good/trustworthy? Short answer: Yes.  

That led me to do a little digging. BB Cosmetic is based in Korea and has been in business for 5 years to customers all over the world. but they have a USA branch that allows them to ship items via USPS to buyers in Korea. This means their shipping time would be spectacular for those of you in the US. 

Nevertheless, it was really impressive for me in Malaysia too. Their staff boast impressive language skills, ranging from English and Japanese, to Russian and well, I'm assuming Korean. 

Tips & Tricks 

Like Jolse, this BBcosmetic has occasional sales featuring different brands. They do, however, go up to 30% instead of Jolse's 20%. Coincidentally, Jolse is having a 20% off all brands right now. A quick price comparison shows that BBCosmetics Cosrx Natural Skin Returning Emulsion is selling for $13.99 whereas Jolse is selling it for $15.20. Their Cosrx Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol is also selling for cheaper at $13.99 instead of $14.40. 

On the other hand, their low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser is a tad more expensive at $9.35 compared to Jolse's $8.80. This is only one site though, so you do have to do more price comparisons to be certain that you're getting the best deal. I'm comparing BBcosmetic with Jolse since both sites offer free international shipping with no minimum purchase and I've bought from both sites before. 

Also, be sure to like their facebook page since they do flash 50% off sales for different items randomly once a day. The other day, they had a 50% sale off their Cosrx BHA and was selling it for only $10.50. I can't believe I missed that sale. They've also sold 15 Innisfree Face Masks for $8.99. The catch is that they only have 5 of this for sale at any one time. 

Update: They've discontinued this deal. :( 

Shipping & Packaging

USA buyers will get their orders via USPS and have a tracking number included. Their estimation is 3 - 10 business days. Orders over $140 gets free expedited shipping service. They have a warehouse in the states, which means shipping is faster for those of you there! :)

Everyone else won't have a tracking number unless you reach $40 and the estimation is about 12-35 business days. They had my package expedited. I ordered my product on the 16th and it arrived on the 22nd, which is ridiculously amazing. 

The box itself is quite sturdy and they have my box packed to the brim. The items were well protected though, as you can see, which was all that mattered. 10/10 packaging. 

Samples 

If you've read any of my posts, you would know that I'm a lover of sample products and from the samples given to me, I have to declare BBcosmetic my new favourite shopping site.

As you can see from the picture above, every purchase gets 2 The Face Shop Cushion Puffs, 1 Face it Power Perfection BB Cream Sample & 1 Blanclouding White Moisture Cream Sample. Once you reach the $30 threshold, you get an additional Lumilayer Primal (this is what I got).

I love that they let you know in advance exactly what you're getting. Personally, I love that they do this since the uncertainty is annoying for me. More often than not, I end up being disappointed by the samples given. In addition to the promised samples, I was given an Verite Ultra Moist Skin Watery Cream. I haven't gotten around to using most items from this haul yet, so reviews will have to wait until I've tested everything for a sufficient period. ^^

Orders over $50 gets a Makeup Pouch from The Face Shop and orders over $100 gets an additional Natural Sun Eco Sebum Control Moisture Sun 50ml from The Face Shop. I love that the samples stack up.

They've updated their free samples, which is still awesome. :) Link here.

My Haul

Here's what I ended up getting from BB Cosmetic (individual reviews coming up after a reasonable testing period): 

• Berrisom Oops My Lip Tint Pack (Virgin Red) for $5.98 
• I was incredibly curious about how long-lasting this lip tint is. 
• The fact that it peels off and leaves your lip colored but doesn't stain is mind-blowing to me. 
• Cosrx BHA Skin Returning Emulsion & Cosrx BHA Skin Returning A-Sol $13.99 & $13.98 
• The A-sol I've been eyeing since forever since /r/asianbeauty lauds it as the best spot treatment for pimples. It also helps in controlling sebum production and clearing off dead skin cells. 
• It is recommended that the A-sol is used priod to the Emulsion, which works to deliver a light exfoliating effect and remove dead skin while providing hydration as well. It is designed with Centella asiatica extract water as a base and less liquidy than other Cosrx products I've tried. 
• Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch $7.98 
• This is pretty self explanatory. It's a non-irritating hydrocolloid protective patch for when you have acne wounds. 
• Cosrx Blackhead Silk Finger Ball $4.49 
• These 100% natural silk balls are used as gentle physical exfoliates, which is something I've been curious to try on my blackheads.  

Pros & Cons

Pros 

• Free Shipping and free tracking at $40 
• Gives a LOT of samples with each 
• Like I mentioned earlier, I love that they let buyers know in advance exactly what they're getting. 
• The picture above shows what you would get for one purchase on their site, which is ridiculously generous. 
• Competitive prices when discounted and mind-bogglingly amazing prices during the 50% off 
• Do remember to like and stalk their Facebook Page.
• Customer service is amazing. 
• I talked to one of their lovely cs, Chloe and she's been nothing but curteous and polite. 
• They're still relatively small and I always feel like you would get more care from cs from small business compared to bigger businesses where you turn into just another number in the pile. 

Cons 

• Some prices not as competitive, as proven above where some prices are still cheaper at Jolse.
• You'll also have to remember that Jolse does give credit for giving reviews, which I don't think BB Cosmetic is doing. They've started offering free credit for reviews!
• Do price comparisons. They definitely have better prices for some of their products, though. 

Conclusion

Do I like them? Yeah, definitely! I especially enjoy the 50% off sales. Those are fun to stalk especially if I end up getting a good deal. I actually got one the other day. A Holika Holika Wine Therapy Sleeping Mask for $6.45. It's insane.

Prices: 8/10 

(Enter C10T190S3 for 10% discount)

Packaging: 10/10 

Shipping: 10/10

Samples: 10/10

Repurchase: Yes 

(I've already made another purchase (during their flash 50% off sale. I have no self control and their prices are great.)

8% Off Coupon Code: C10T190S3

If you'd like to make an order with BB Cosmetic, you can enter my coupon code for a 8% discount: Just enter  C10T190S3 upon checkout!

Coupon Code: C10T190S3 

Full disclosure: The only product I paid for was the Berrisom Tint. Everything else was sponsored. None of the links are affiliated. Everything I've written reflects my personal opinion.

Jolse.com To Sarawak, Malaysia

I have bad news. My phone died along with everything I love in it. I knew I should've transferred my pictures to my laptop. The thing is, there was no warning prior to death. One minute I was staring at Reddit and the next minute the screen was an ominous darkness that stared back at me. 

I couldn't get my hands to the pictures in the phone since it's stupid beyond believe. Therefore, there aren't any pictures of the wonderful haul I bought from Jolse, which is just fan-fucking-tastic. Fuck that stupid phone. Now I have no phone, which means no pictures, but I do love my haul from Jolse so I'll do a review nevertheless. 

Jolse.com

Jolse is another Korean site that caught my attention. It's especially tempting since it offers free shipping all the way from Korea. Basically, if you put no-minimum free shipping on your site, I'll automatically want to buy something from you. Admittedly price-wise per item is not as competitive, but that's negated by free shipping.

So, the same thing might be cheaper elsewhere, but once you add shipping, it would actually be cheaper to get it from Jolse. The site itself is pretty straightforward. You find what you want, click on it, and pay with paypal. But first - this is very important - Jolse does 20% off sales during the weekend so whatever you want to buy, wait for the weekend.

Wait For 20% Off Sale

Here's what the banner looks like. If you want something from Jolse, wait for the 20% off.

Also, you get $3 credit the first time you buy something on Jolse so there's an instant discount right there.

Now, onwards to what I bought:

My Haul

Here's what I bought from Jolse on April 23rd, 2016:

• Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask 100g - $8.67 (RM35)
• I'll be frank, I bought this because of the discount and also because of the hilarious video reviews of the bubbles. ^^ It was sold for $8.67, which is around RM35. 

• COSRX BHA BLACKHEAD POWER LIQUID 100 ML - $16.80 (RM69)
• COSRX AHA 7 WHITEHEAD POWER LIQUID 100ml - $14.43 (RM59)
• The BHA and AHA are one-two punches for dealing with the stubborn blackhead and enlarged pores on my nose and cheeks. These are actives and both require consistent and careful usage to see result.

• Innisfree NO SEBUM MINERAL POWDER 5g - $5.58 (RM23) 
• This softens skin and controls sebum production. I have an oil-overproduction problem so I got this to help control my face's oiliness. 

Total: $42.80 (RM175.59) after applying $3 coupon

My package took a few days to ship and about two weeks to finally arrive in Sarawak. I reached the $40 treshold to get free tracking, which was nice for stalking where my package is at all times. In addition to my products, Jolse added a few foil samples (BHA snail essence, ect.). Nothing spectacular and nothing full-sized.

Pros & Cons

Pros 

• Free Shipping
• Gives samples
• Reasonable prices when discounted
• Each purchase gets credit (a tiny percentage. My $42 earned $1.7 so about 4% (I'm not quite certain about this)
• Reviewing items bought from jolse gives you $0.50 credit to be used for the next order (you have six months to complete the review)

Cons

• Shipping takes a while. 
• Some prices not as competitive

Prices: 8/10 

Packaging: 10/10

Shipping: 9/10 

Samples: 5/10

Repurchase: Yes!