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

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.

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.

Nature’s Difference: What Sets Storybook Apothecary Healing Powders Apart

Many major brand companies use a lot of harmful ingredients in their products, including in their so-called natural formulations and even in their mineral powders. I’m not exactly sure how they manage to sneak crappy, cheap and filler ingredients into powders, but they do it. That’s how nasty pore-clogging preservatives, useless fillers and superficial ingredients like talc, bismuth oxychloride, parabens, and other preservatives make it into your powders and other cosmetics all the time.

Why?

Because it’s cheaper for them and makes their company a LOT more money.

The mark up on these products is often times literally in the 1000%.

Can you imagine that ? 1000% profit?

This is “corporate America” for you at work, even on your face.

Cheaper ingredients allows for a higher mark up while preservatives give their products incredibly long if not indefinite shelf lives.

Imagine that, a face powder that lasts longer than you do! 😉

Now, I’m not saying every company does this because there are some reputable brands out there, but most drugstore brands including the supposed natural ones like Physician’s Formula sneak in artificial dyes, tons of preservatives and wasted fillers. Even higher department stores have similar and sometimes nearly identical formulas to their drug store brand equivalents, yet they are more expensive. Why? An incredible marketing plan with eye-candy packaging that is irresistible to the human eye. Even I fall victim to their clever marketing and breathtaking presentation which is why I avoid the cosmetics area of any store at all costs. Who doesn’t want the lovely makeup kit from Lancome or the adorable skincare set from Sephora? It’s the ultimate trickery, built to reel you in and hi-jack your wallet.

So, in all of that madness, why buy Storybook Apothecary makeup? Is there any brand you can trust?

Of course.

And of course I want you to buy my handmade cosmetic powders, but I am also not going to downgrade other companies in order to do that. There are tons, TONS and TONS of makeup companies on Etsy and online in general that offer great alternatives to  the mess that is the cosmetics industry. These companies work hard to have integrity and offer alternative ingredients to the synthetics offered in the mainstream.

Where and who you want to buy from are your business, your decision, so you decide and I’ll respect it.

Although there are a few things that I can say set Storybook Apothecary formulations apart from other powders on the market, even natural powders.

I’ve done a lot of research on what is actually IN a powder, whether it’s sold at Target, Nordstroms, Etsy or another online retailer and a lot of it includes the same basic formula: mica, some natural additives usually kaolin, rice powder, and aloe. Etsy and other natural retailers usually add in their own botanicals for added benefit while Target and Nordstrom brands usually add in preservatives and fillers where actual ingredients should be.

So herein lies the big difference between other brands and Storybook Apothecary.

At Storybook Apothecary, I make my own formulations on a calming base of colloidal oatmeal, kaolin, and rice powder with added natural plant and fruit powders for coloring and botanical benefits that can be customized based on your skin type and concerns. I can also add in some zinc for sun protection depending on what you want. I use very little and sometimes no mica at all.

Now, I know other companies offer a huge base in mica. There are some great benefits to using mica in formulations, but the  benefit to your skin is little while it does look great on your skin. The pluses to mica are that it can be shimmery, glittery or matte and looks very pretty. I utilize mica occasionally in bronzers or blushes where shimmer and glitter effects are wanted, but for the most part, my powders and blushes have a soft, natural look that function as both makeup and treatment all in one. I can add in some natural oils for those who need the extra moisture or want to soften fine lines, but it does shorten the life span of your powder.

This is why so many nature based companies opt to make small batches of products in order to offer fresher products to customers and reduce waste. It’s unlikely that you’ll receive a powder from me that has been sitting around for years and years, but you do get the added benefits from using higher quality ingredients that are fresher and more beneficial to your skin with no fillers, no harmful preservatives and no pore clogging ingredients, allowing your skin to heal and look its best at all times. I offer the powders in 20 gram sifter, twist and lock jars so you can use what you need and have little to no mess that usually accompanies loose powders.

So, after all that dense information, I would like to explain a bit more about why my formulations are made this way.

First, it spawned out of a personal desire and need for a powder that didn’t clog my pores every time I used it and that would offer ingredients that benefit my skin (as opposed to 1-2 beneficial ingredients and 5 fillers), antioxidant power, botanicals that would benefit and improve my skin while wearing it, and a calming base that would tame redness and any irritation.

Couple that with my skin care passion for natural, organic and wild crafted ingredients and my ideas for healing face and blush powders was born.

Although I can’t claim that the formulation nor the powders themselves are flawless, I can promise to use fresh, quality ingredients, offer a good amount, an affordable price and products you and I can stand behind.

Stay Beautiful

&

 I’ll talk to you soon :]

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