Tag Archives: asian beauty products

TONS of Naruko Skincare Samples: Speed Reviews

{All Naruko Skincare Samples were Provided for Review by Naruko USA}

If you’ve been following this blog for awhile, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of Naruko skincare. Their favorite products are the night jellies that they offer, but they also have various lines of skincare for different skin types, issues and concerns and I was lucky this past winter/ spring season to be able to test out a few of them for a few months.

Here’s a look at everything I received for review. Naruko has been super generous to me and I couldn’t be more grateful to have the opportunity to try more of their products because they are a brand that I would purchase from no matter what. If you’re unfamiliar with this brand, Naruko is a Taiwanese beauty brand that mainly offer a variety of skincare products for all your skin concerns including acne, dry skin, discoloration or pigmentation, and more. The brand is known for selling products that are naturally effective and include a variety of all natural ingredients combined with some scientific research to ensure the best results for your skin.

Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrating Cream

The first item I tested out was their Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrating Cream. It comes in an air tight plastic container which dispenses the perfect amount of cream out of a hole in it’s center when you press down on the top. It’s really sanitary and effective way to keep your cream clean as well as keep it from oxidation which will make ingredients less effective over time so I really like the packaging for it’s practical function. Aside from the packaging, this is a great cream for those with dry skin or combination skin who are dry in the winter or spring seasons. I got really super dry skin this past winter and this was a really nice cream to keep my skin from dehydration.

Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrating Mask

I absolutely love sheet masks! They are super easy to use, effective and very mess-free. They come in rectangle envelopes with face shaped cotton masks that are pre-soaked in the mask ingredients so you literally just pull them out, place them on your face and relax for 10-15. A lot of them don’t even need to be rinsed off, though you can if you’d prefer to. This one is super hydrating and softening.

Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Foaming Wash

This face wash was hit and miss for me. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the gratifying peeling that happened when I used it. It basically lathers up really nicely and when you massage it onto your skin, it starts to peel the dead skin off your face to reveal brighter skin beneath and you can literally see the skin coming off in little pieces. It’s not painful and there’s very little to no abrasion going on so it’s done more chemically than anything. It doesn’t feel like a face scrub much at all so, if you’re not into scrubs, this doesn’t feel like that. Instead, it just massages dead skin off your face and reveals new skin after. I really liked the peeling bit of this face wash, but as for treating dryness, it was not nearly as much hydration as I wanted and needed in a winter cleanser. I actually think face balms work much better for me than this, which I found to be brightening, but still a bit drying. It may work better for others, but for me, it didn’t hydrate enough. This might be great for those who battle oily skin, but also have dryness.

Tea Tree Oil Out Peeling Gel

This is another peeling type product that’s super fun to use. It does feel more like a scrub as it has tiny little beads in the formula, but they aren’t rough at all to use. To use this, you apply a small amount to skin and massage it around your face gently (avoiding eye area) for a minute or so. You will see small pieces of skin come off in the same way as the face wash and you need to rinse after using this to get all the little pieces completely off. I liked this better than the face wash, but it still didn’t hydrate my skin enough. I really just enough the scent of the Naruko tea tree products, to be honest. This is a great one for acne prone skin types.

Rose & Snow Fungus Classic Hydrating Night Eye Gelly

This hydrating night eye jelly is perfect for under the eyes. It’s super thick and goopy feeling, but it will soak in completely within an hour so that does go away eventually. It really does hydrate the eye area and protect it nicely. It didn’t cause breakouts on my skin at all so that’s a great bonus for those who have dry under eyes, but experience eye sensitivity and acne, because it’s very hydrating without being heavy or causing irritation.

Rose & Snow Fungus Classic Hydrating Night Gelly

Although this hasn’t taken the place of my favorite night jelly, it’s still a really lovely Night Jelly and it’s especially beneficial for dry skin types or those currently experiencing dryness. It has a really lovely, yet subtle rose scent and feels hydrating, but light on the skin.

AMPM Super Triple HA Skin Hydrator Seru

AMPM Super Triple HA Skin Hydrator

This very hydrating, yet light serum has a high concentration of B vitamins and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate, plump, and soothe skin. I really like how light this serum is, despite the fact that it’s very moisturizing. I think this is perfect for combination and oily skin types who have trouble finding serums that both hydrate the skin and are not super heavy. This is a great one for those who have trouble with heavier moisturizers, but still want a hydrating serum to use.

Facial White Illuminating Cotton Pads

The last item I received is this box of texturized cotton pads that are unique to Naruko. They are dual sided with one side being very smooth and one side being cross-hatched for gently buffing the skin. These are fantastic to use with facial toners or to remove makeup because the cross-hatched side really buffs the skin clean and gently exfoliates while the smooth side polishes and smooths the surface. I really saw a huge difference in my skin with using these alongside a toner and I definitely think they’re worth the little extra cost.

Overall, these products from Naruko, unsurprisingly, were really awesome. They all work really well at hydrating the skin and putting some life into otherwise dry skin cells. I definitely had an issue with dryness this past season and these products all helped a lot. I don’t think there was anything I really loved out of this bunch, but they’re all pretty solid as good skincare choices in my book. I don’t think I’d use them in the Summer time really as my skin can’t really handle it and prefers oils to lotions. I know that sounds weird and backward, but that’s how my skin is. If I had to pick favorites, I would choose the Night Eye Jelly, the Tea Tree Peeling Gel and the Cotton Pads, but these are all worth a look if hydration is what you need so definitely give them a look!

Have You Tried Any of These Products from Naruko?

What Are Your Thoughts on Taiwanese & Asian Beauty Products?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

♥ Tianna

Related Articles:

Get Clear Skin with Naruko’s Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid Line

Brand Spotlight: A Closer Look At Naruko

Summer Acne Breakout Savior – Naruko Tea Tree Night Jelly

A New Website Is Coming Very Soon That Will Change The Way Americans Shop For Asian Beauty Products!

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Who Supplies Your Asian Beauty Products?

My Top 10 Favorite Asian Beauty Products!

I’m not sure how obvious it is, but I love Asian beauty products.

I love all other kinds of beauty as well, but Asian beauty has a special place in my heart.

Often times, I feel that Asian beauty brands offer interesting products that are a lot of fun to use and they usually feature a host of natural ingredients for skin beauty benefits, whether in makeup or skincare.

That being said, here are some of my all-time favorites!

Skin79 Hot Pink Triple Function BB Cream SPF25 PA++

This is the first BB cream I ever tried! That was nearly 3 years ago and this is still my favorite. It has a nice shade matching ability that I love, it soaks into the skin and makes my skin look like I’m not wearing any makeup at all. It has never caused any breakouts, but actually improved the texture of my skin over time. I love that the formula includes both sunscreen and a host of beneficial skincare ingredients. Plus, it’s a mid-range BB cream at around $30 and it lasts forever so it’s great value. An oldie, but a goody! I’m currently testing out this one by Skin79.

Comed Cosmetique C+M Oil Control Blemish Defense Serum

 This is one of my all-time favorite acne spot treatments! It’s pretty natural and includes plant extracts to fight breakouts. Plus, I bought it on SASA.Com at an incredible price : $2.80 USD! Okay, so now you know I’m extremely cheap, but seriously, this works! The bottle is pretty small, but the needle nose type applicator is perfect for squeezing out the tiniest amount to spot treat blemishes. I can’t recommend this enough and, at such a low price, it’s practically risk-free to try!

Komenuka Bijin Whitening Face Serum

This is such an effective serum! I’m not too into “whitening” my skin, but this works great to brighten and even out discolorations on my skin tone!  It’s made with all natural ingredients with an emphasis on high concentrations of rice bran, natural acids, proteins and does not include damaging hydroquinone like many Asian brands do. That being said, at $60 USD, it’s pretty expensive, but well worth the price in my opinion.

Kai Eye Mascara Guard

I purchased this originally off Ebay for like $3, but SASA is selling it for around $4 USD. It’s a really handy tool you can use to prevent mascara getting on your eyelids or smearing your bottom lashes. I find it to be super helpful because I am constantly messing up and getting mascara on my lids! It’s so annoying, but this prevents that from happening and helps to evenly coat your lashes so you experience little to no clumping.

Kai Eyebrow Comb Scissors

This comb / scissors combo for eyebrows is awesome and such a time saver! I hate sitting there with a little comb trying to trim my super long bushy brows and this really cuts down on the time, frustration and simplifies everything for me. Just comb and cut and you’re done. Super easy and it’s under $10 USD.

Naruko Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid Soothing Night Gelly

Even though this is just one night jelly, I think it’s safe to say I pretty much love them all. They are so light, pleasantly scented and effective and they include a huge amount of natural ingredients that work to heal your skin as you sleep. I absolutely love these and I buy them all the time because they relax me before bed and they work really well.

See reviews on some Naruko Night Jellies here and here!

Komenuka Bijin Facial Washing Powder

These are a little on the expensive side for around $40 USD, but they last FOREVER! They are basically a set of 30 packets of rice powder type face wash that gets milky when you mix it with water and wash your face. It’s actually very similar to the one I recently reviewed by Naruko (See that review – here!).They work really well and one single packet has enough powder to last you a week if you use dime size amounts daily, which is really all you need. This cleanser works really well, it’s gentle and non-drying and made with all natural ingredients. I first discovered this brand when reading a magazine around 3 years ago where Liv Tyler stated how much she loves their products.

My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Face Mask Sheets

This is a box of 10 sheet masks that help to brighten up tired, dull skin. Made with natural plant extracts, most notably onion, the mask helps to hydrate, revitalize and calm your skin. I really love the face mask sheets from My Beauty Diary! They work really well and you can get a lot of uses out of one sheet mask. There is usually product left over in the little packet that each mask comes in so I like to squeeze it out and use it as a hand treatment while I let the mask do it’s work. This isn’t really an ordinary face mask because it’s a sheet mask which is made of woven type cotton that is soaked in the mask ingredients. There are holes for the eyes, nose and mouth and you place it onto your face for 10-15 minutes. I love that if you lie in front of a fan while wearing one of these, the mask becomes super cooling on your face. It’s very relaxing, quick and effective to use these. Don’t freak out if it’s your first time using one though, you may look a bit like a feminine Michael Myers while wearing this, but it’s totally worth it. At around $15 USD for the 10 pack, it’s a great deal and I only use them when I really need a pick-me-up.

Komenuka Bijin Shampoo and Conditioner Set

This shampoo and conditioner set is made utilizing the powers of rice bran to repair dry, damaged hair. It’s very moisturizing and softening to use on the hair and I love the nice subtle scent, but it’s a bit on the expensive side for some at $60 USD for the set. It really does work well though and the natural ingredients are very gentle and hydrating.

Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid Soothing White Serum

If you’ve been following along, you’ll have read my review on Naruko’s Apple Seed & Tranexamic Acid collection (Check that review out – here!). I really love all the products in their line, especially this collection, but this was my favorite product of the bunch other than the night jelly. It’s very light and feels like velvet going on the skin. It soaks up immediately and leaves no residue behind and it helps to calm redness, discoloration and other skin irritations. It’s pretty affordable at $26 USD – Now on sale at Naruko.Us for $23 though!

 That’s all for now!

Do you like Asian beauty products?

What are some of your favorites?

Naruko Beauty Supplements!

More Naruko goodness!

If you’ve been following for awhile, you’ll have heard all about my love for Naruko Skincare. Otherwise, you can see an overview of the brand here and some reviews on their products here and here!

So yesterday, and you’ll know already if you’re following me on Instagram, I was at an actual Naruko Boutique in Rowland Heights, California, picking up night jellies and I stumbled across these skin supplement drinks they’ve come out with!  One is meant to be taken during the day while the other is meant to be taken at night before bed.

Of course I had to try them!

They are both skin supplement drinks that focus on repairing the skin and encouraging collagen production, but the daytime version focuses on brightening the skin while the nighttime version works to firm the skin while you catch some beauty sleep.  The day one is the Berry Brightening Collagen Drink – Day and the night one is the Lychee Firming Collagen Drink – Night.

I tried the night one last night because, like an overexcited 5 year old, I just couldn’t wait and then I tried the day one this morning.

Firstly, I have to say that the sales rep completely lied on these or she has heinously bad taste. When I asked her what they taste like, she just told me they taste great. Mind you, I’d try them anyway with hopes of boosting collagen, glow and firming my skin up, but these taste like crap. I mean, it may just be personal preference because these remind me of what energy drinks taste like except much more potent and I hate the taste of energy drinks. The taste makes me feel like I’m drinking healthy gasoline because the taste seriously smacks you in the face. It is NOT subtle!

That being said, I think I may invest in a few of these.

I know, I sound kind of like a masochist given I’ve just compared the taste to drinking gasoline, but the vitamins in these are beneficial to skin health and overall bodily health actually.

The day version includes a variety of vitamins, minerals, fruit extracts and brightening plant extracts while the night version includes a similar variety of vitamins, minerals, and berries along with CoQ10 and other plant extracts known to firm and tone the skin.

No real effects seem to be showing up just yet as I’ve only tried them in the past 24 hours, but I do sense a glow in my skin, though that may be due to the 100+ F degree weather we’ve been suffering through here in Cali.

All in all, I still think I’ll try these again as I’m a fan of natural supplements, especially where vanity and skin health is concerned (yeah, I’m shallow like that, problem?). Plus, in the end, I think I’m just like most everyone else when it comes to these miracle drinks – easily pulled in by the promise of eternal youth in a bottle. Then again, maybe I’m alone in this, but at $5 a bottle, it’s not hugely expensive to try a week’s supply and see if I feel, or look, any different. That being said, I think these must be very new because I cannot find them on the Naruko USA website. They only seem to be available in Asia at the moment so I don’t know how they were available at the Naruko Boutique, but if you’d like to try them, you can find a pack of this day + night supplement combo here!

What do you think of beauty supplements?

Are they too gimmicky or have you seen any effects from taking supplements like this?

Disclaimer: I was NOT given compensation to write this blog post in any way. I purchased these products with my own money and of my own free will! My opinions, thoughts and experiences with this product are my own.

AMPM Wakeup Skin Smooth Washing Powder Review

So if you’re read my recent posts, you know I have been testing out Naruko’s Apple Seed and Tranexamic Acid Collection

Check out the collection review – here.

This is the cleanser I used during the testing of that collection and it is no less impressive!

AMPM Wakeup Skin Smooth Washing Powder

This cleanser is unlike many other typical face cleansers because it comes in powder form.

When mixed with water, it quickly turns into a foaming wash and easily cleanses the skin.

It feels very toning, hydrating and cleansing and leaves the skin clean without drying the skin out.

It smells pretty much like rice, but it’s such a subtle scent that most will not even notice it.

It worked very well with the apple seed and tranexamic acid collection.

It comes out like a grainy powder and then mixes with water into a slightly foaming cleanser.

Although the powder is really grainy in its dry form, it is not abrasive or scratchy at all when you actually mix it with water and apply to your face.

There are not too many foam suds, it is a mixture between a foamy sud and milky type cleanser.

When first purchasing, be sure to remove the little plastic piece under the cap!

You have to remove the lid and pull out the plastic piece to use.

I think they include this for when you want to travel to prevent any powder from leaking out of the container as the pop top is not the most secure, but given that it’s dry powder, even if it did leak a little, it would not do much harm.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I really like this cleanser.

As far as powder cleansers go, this is among one of my favorites that I have tried.

It feels very much like a hydrating cleanser, but it gives you the clean feeling without drying or making the skin feel tight.

It just feels very hydrating, cleansing and balancing.

I would recommend this to all skin types except super dry types.

Dry skin types may need something more nourishing than this.

Acne prone types will definitely benefit from this cleanser because it is so balancing and it does not dry the skin out.

At $20, this is so affordable.

A little powder goes a long way so the value for the money is great as it will last you a long time.

Check out this cleanser on Naruko’s site – here.

Have you tried any of the AMPM products from Naruko?

Sign up for the mini Naruko giveaway – here!

Disclaimer: I was NOT given compensation to write this blog post in any way other than the free samples that were sent to me from Naruko Skincare to review. My opinions, thoughts and experiences with this product are my own.

A Closer Look At One of My Favorite All Natural Asian Skincare Brands: Naruko Skincare + A Surprise!

When people tell me they have never heard of Naruko, I get really excited telling them about one of my most favorite natural skincare brands from Taiwan.

Created by Niuer (or Niu Er), one of the most (if not THE most) trusted skin care professionals in Taiwan, Naruko was created with the most precise and natural ingredients. Many in Taiwan, China and other Asian countries refer to Nuier as the “Beauty King” because he is so well known as a skin guru and expert.

In fact, Niu Er travels globally to research and find skin care ingredients and find the most top quality essentials for his brand.

Even more amazing is the fact that all end product formulations are tested by Niuer himself for any allergic or negative reactions before being released for sale.

He is famous especially in Asia for his skincare brands’ attention to detail and effectiveness as well as a dedication to nature, even being praised and used by Asian celebrities.

As if their founder’s attention to detail isn’t enough, Naruko also has a dedication to using natural, but advanced and effective ingredients in their product formulations while also promoting ECO consciousness which is why all of the Naruko products include natural ingredients and many of them include boxed packaging that can be re-used and formed into small decorative boxes (patterns on inside can be cut out to form a box) to promote ECO conscientiousness.

I have been a huge fan of Naruko going on a few years now.

Originally I found out about them from all the YouTube beauty vloggers and, having never experienced a Night Jelly before, I opted to try them.

Since then, I have tried most of their night jellies, about 3 of their serums and a couple toners.

I really haven’t had one bad experience.

My favorites are definitely in the Apple Seed and Tranexamic Acid Set, but I also really love the Tea Tree Oil line, especially that Night Jelly which is awesome for breakouts, skin irritations, and boyfriends who refuse to moisturize. It’s the only thing mine will tolerate me putting on his face. Read my review on the Tea Tree Oil Night Jelly – here.

Recently, I was so lucky to be sent a ridiculous amount of products to review by Naruko.

They have been so generous and helpful and it makes me love them even more!

That being said, I have been using their Apple Seed and Tranexamic Acid Skincare Set for a few weeks now and I LOVE it.

Not only does it brighten my skin, it helps clear breakouts (not a single spot on my face at the moment!), and is hydrating, but not oily.

Read More On the Apple Seed and Tranexamic Acid Skincare Set – here – where I’ve done a thorough review on the entire collection.

Anyhow, so back onto the fact that I have a lot of great Naruko samples.

Since I have a lot of samples, I have decided to give some away.

That being said, I will be giving away 3 small deluxe type Naruko samples, each from a different collection.

Check them out:

I will choose 3 winners; each will randomly be selected (out of a hat because I’m old fashioned like that!) and sent a random set to try.

PLEASE NOTE: This giveaway is open to any of my subscribers anywhere in the world. Although I received these samples free from Naruko Skincare, I will be shipping them out at my own expense so please sign up! I am not rich, but I want to show my appreciation for your support and readership, and I promise you will enjoy these samples!

To Enter: 

  • Must be subscribed to this blog
  • Must follow me on Twitter @SApothecary and “Like” Storybook Apothecary on Facebook – here
  • Must “Like” Naruko USA on Facebook
  • Must comment below letting me know you’ve done all the steps and with which set you most want to win!
3 Winners will be announced here on 6/9/12
PLEASE NOTE: A winner will be chosen on the aforementioned date; if any winner does not contact me within a week of the announcement, another will be chosen in their place as an alternative and they will forfeit their winnings.
Good Luck! 
Stay Beautiful
&
I’ll Talk To You Soon : ]
Disclaimer: I was NOT given compensation to write this blog post in any way other than the free samples that were sent to me from Naruko Skincare to review. My opinions, thoughts and experiences with this product are my own.