REVIEW | Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder

Sweater weather is officially over in Hong Kong, and it's now been replaced with unbearable, insufferable humidity. Yuck! The warmer climate has not been doing my oily combination skin any favors, obviously - my face is getting so greasy so fast, and it seems my beloved Laura Mercier Translucent Powder just isn't cutting it. So my desperation to rein in that shine ultimately led me to picking up the Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder, and I'm finally ready to give y'all my thoughts!

Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder

$7USD at Innisfree
5g | 1 shade

As some of you may recall, I did a review on the Innisfree Long Wear Cushion SPF 50 last year and commended the brand's eco-friendly approach to all their products and packaging. This time around, I noticed that even my receipt was printed on recyclable paper. Sweet!

I was told by the sales associate that the No-Sebum Mineral Powder is one of their best sellers, and with a name like no-sebum I just had to try it out for myself. It comes in a small, portable jar with a sifter and a soft powder puff on top. When I buy new powders, I always tear off just half of the sticker on the sifter - you can better control the amount of product to dispense out, and it doesn't get quite as messy. I tap out a tiny amount of powder into the lid and either use the powder puff or a fluffy brush to apply it all over my face.

The powder is incredibly soft and finely milled - like flour - and you can barely feel it when you rub it between your fingers! Although the powder is white, it blends out to be translucent with just a slight brightening effect. The first thought I had after applying this on my face was how smooth and silky it made my skin feel. Wow. Definitely impressed. It doesn't settle into my fine lines, and I can even use it to set my under eyes - I just dip the pointy end of my damp BeautyBlender into the powder and dab dab dab.

After some trial and error, I discovered that instead of just using a fluffy brush and lightly dusting the powder all over, I get a much more long-lasting and shine-free result when I use the powder puff and push the powder into the skin. Not only can I visibly see the shine disappear right before my eyes, but I also get a shine-free T-zone for up to five hours before some dewiness starts to peek through. This, in my books, is a total win - I usually get shiny in just under two hours - and even afterwards, my skin just maintained a natural, dewy glow, with none of that gross, greasy nonsense.

Innisfree offers another version, the No-Sebum Blur Powder, that has a natural beige tint and a blurring effect that claims to smooth away pores and wrinkles, and would perhaps be a better choice for those of you desiring a bit more coverage but also a more natural, undetectable finish with no brightening effect. Once I'm done with this jar, I'm definitely considering getting the Blur Powder to compare the two.

Swatched | Blended out

The only other product in my collection that I consider to be comparable would be my Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot Super-Translucent Mattifying Powder that I hit pan on a looong time ago. It used to be a favorite of mine, but just got pushed to the back of my makeup bin as time went on. It comes in a pressed compact, and although I find the Innisfree powder to be more fine and silky in texture, both powders are similar enough in performance to be pretty much interchangeable in my routine - both have the same lasting and mattifying power, with the only difference being that the Innisfree version offers an illuminating quality, and Soap and Glory's pressed version is more convenient for touch-ups. It's currently priced at $16USD for 9g, which is more than double the price of the Innisfree powder but also almost double the amount. Innisfree also offers a pressed version of the no-sebum powder, the Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Pact at $12USD for 8.5g, that would also be a great option for traveling or touch-ups.

At just$7USD, the Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder is truly a great bang for your buck, and it would be a handy addition to any makeup collection, especially if you have oily skin and need that extra help with oil control. In this current humidity, I predict that I'll be running out of this powder very soon...

REVIEW | Innisfree Special Care Foot Mask

Sandal weather is upon us! Which means putting extra effort into making sure our feet are soft, supple, and smooth as hell. But let's face it, we can always use some extra help fighting dry skin and cracked heels, which is why I'm giving the Innisfree Special Care Foot Mask a try before bed. Let's check it out, with help from my puppy, Riley!

Innisfree Special Care Foot Mask

$25 HKD at Innisfree (around $3 USD)

1 Pair

First order of business.. look how freakin' adorable my dog is. I just can't. Being the Curious George that she is (about absolutely everything), this crumply little packet really peaked her interest. Innisfree is a brand I've known about for quite some time - go read my review on the Innisfree Long Wear Cushion - and I've heard glowing reviews about their face masks. But only recently I became aware of their 'special care' mask range - including hand, neck, collarbone and even elbow masks - and at just $25 HKD a piece, this foot mask was too good of a deal to pass up.

The foot mask is folded neatly inside the packet, and you get one bootie for each foot. How cute! My feet are a US size 8 and they fit comfortably inside. It feels a bit strange at first, like you're stepping around in wet socks, but I found them very easy to use and to just lounge around in. I did end up slipping on a pair of socks over top since they slid around a bit. The mask smells floral and refreshing, but you only notice the scent if you're way down there like Riley is. The instructions say to wash and cleanse the feet, put on the foot masks, then remove them after 10-20 minutes and to massage the excess liquid into the skin. I left mine on for an hour. Shhhh. I just didn't see the harm in leaving them on a bit longer!

After removing the masks and massaging in the excess liquid as instructed, I could feel that the calluses on the balls of my feet had softened up considerably, and my feet looked smooth and moisturized. My heels, however, still felt a bit rough. By the next morning, my feet were back to normal and I could see some dry patches appearing again, which goes to show that this foot mask is probably best used for short-term results - one day or so - and perhaps before a special occasion when you need your feet to be pretty and presentable.

I would recommend exfoliating and scrubbing your feet prior to using the mask for better results. If you need serious help with dry, cracked, problematic feet, this wouldn't be of much help at all. But at just $3 USD, this foot mask is a good pick-me-up for tired, unattended feet and I will definitely be stocking up for some much needed pampering on the weekends.

PS. If you want more of Riley, I will be doing a post on her adoption story sometime soon, so stay tuned!

REVIEW | Innisfree Long Wear Cushion SPF50

My first venture into the world of BB cushions, à la L'oreal's Lucent Magique Cushion Lumiere, was a successful one, so I decided to give the Innisfree Long Wear Cushion SPF50 PA+++ a try after chancing upon a Youtube ad -  they got me good. Let's see how this one fared!

Innisfree Long Wear Cushion SPF50 PA+++

$180 HKD at Innisfree (around $23 USD)

15g, 0.5oz | 4 shades

Innisfree is a Korean cosmetics brand and is known for using natural and organic ingredients with an eco-friendly approach to all their products and packaging. For example, all the products are housed in 100% recyclable containers, and the labels are made from eco-friendly tangerine skin. Say what?! So awesome.

There are three different Innisfree cushions - this Long Wear Cushion for oily skin, the Water Glow Cushion for combination skin and the Ampoule Intense Cushion for dry skin - and of course, your oily-skinned pal here chose the Long Wear Cushion formulated to "keep the skin smooth and bright for a long time", and it contains sebum-controlling Jeju volcanic powder to ensure I stay (relatively) matte and shine-free. The packaging is standard of any cushion foundation - you get a nice mirror and sponge puff, with the cushion underneath the plastic separator. Simple, white packaging - I dig it.

There are a total of four shades to choose from - 13 Light Beige, 21 Natural Beige, 23 True Beige and 31 Deep Beige - and I have 23 True Beige which is still a touch too light on my face but the best match out of the range, and it does oxidize slightly. The texture is smooth but quite a bit stiffer than the L'oreal version, meaning it does take more effort to pat and blend in. The foundation is matte upon application, and using the sponge puff gives you a slightly cooling sensation on the skin. The coverage is medium with just one layer and can be built up to full without getting cakey. It did a decent job with concealing my dark circles and I didn't need nearly as much concealer, which is always a plus. For you odor-sensitive peeps, there is a light, herbally scent to this that dissipates soon after application, so fret not!

Swatched | Blended out

After trying this cushion a handful of times, I've found that this is truly the only base that has succeeded in keeping my oily skin in check in the humid, sticky, gross weather that has currently taken over Hong Kong. I'm impressed! Like I mentioned before, the finish is almost completely matte upon application, and as the day goes on, it turns into a dewy glow but never looks greasy. Woot-woot! It really does keep me from looking like an oily grease-ball after a full day of running around (or rather, of running after my dog) and lasts for a long, full day without fading. This even held up amazingly well when I tried it without any setting or mattifying powder! So needless to say, this has definitely become my current go-to foundation for the hot, balmy weather thanks to the high SPF and superior oil-controlling properties.

However, I have to mention that this cushion really looks and feels like makeup. Ya know what I'm saying? It's not as lightweight on the face as I hoped for - at times even a bit heavy - and if someone were to stand right in front of you and stare at your face, they'd be able to tell that you're wearing a full-coverage foundation. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, but for those of you who like natural, undetectable coverage and I-woke-up-like-dis skin, this is definitely not for you. Also, if you have dry skin - stay far, far away! This will not be forgiving on any dry patches, and you'd be better off trying their Ampoule Intense or Water Glow Cushions. For all other skin types who want to try this version out, make sure you do some heavy duty moisturizing beforehand and you should be good to go.

Innisfree 23 True Beige | L'oreal Nude Miracle N3

So there you have it. If you have oily skin and want a high-coverage base that can rein in that shine, I think you would really get along with this Innisfree Long Wear Cushion. If you still prefer more lightweight bases with a natural coverage, then go for the L'oreal Lucent Magique Cushion Lumiere. But be reminded - both have SPF and will give you a white case so refrain from wearing them around any flash photography. Ya hear me?!

Let's hope, for my wallet's sake, that I don't start developing a cushion foundation obsessi - oops, too late.