Ettusais Premium range review

Aloha, alpacas! Bubbles is back with some Ettusais Premium goodies!

Bubbles went for the Ettusais Luminous Skin Party yesterday because beauty workshops are her new "in" thing. Not only is the $$ you pay for the workshop fully redeemable for products, you get the following benefits as well:

1) Door gift (Sulwhasoo is VERY generous with their door gifts, but that's for another post);
2) Make up/skin care lesson; and
3) Refreshments

Bubbles concludes that beauty workshops are the only way to go. So Bubbles went to the Shiseido office at Orchard Building and walked in to find this:

(1) Launch of the Ettusais Premium range (freebies if you buy 2 premium range products - you get one cosmetic pouch and one gel effect top coat)

(2) White bags are the door gifts, pink bags are for your purchases

(3) All laid out for the hands on session.

(4) Refreshments - cupcakes, fruit tarts, macarons and apple juice

(5) All laid out for the shopping spree

(6) Ettusais premium chiffon foundation powder. It has an interesting puff with 2 textures. The fuzzy side is for the entire face, and the spongy side is to get at the bits around the nose after folding the puff to get a point. The powder is very lightweight, and the Ettusais folks shared that to achieve this effect, the oil is drained off after it is mixed with the foundation powder before it is pressed into a cake. A makeup tip from Oki-san, Ettusais' Japanese trainer: to cover pores, pat on your foundation in an upward manner. 

(7) Ettusais amino caviar cream - contains little spherical capsules which break when you apply pressure to release the essence goodness inside. It has 7 benefits, so one product is all you need 

(throw out that essence, toner, serum, makeup base....) for day and night.

(8) A close up of the amino caviar cream and its texture (very creamy). You only need an almond sized amount for the whole face. It can be applied on the eyes as well, and on the neck if you're feeling extravagant. Bubbles found it very cooling when applied on her mien, but she may have applied too much as her face felt sticky after that (as though there was a thin layer of serum sitting on the surface). Bubbles fixed the sticky face by blotting it with tissue. 

This cream is hydrating, but Bubbles gave it a pass as she's a Sulwhasoo alpaca at heart. The little skincare spheres in the cream are fun to squish between her alpaca paws, but take some effort to break/spread out when put on the face.

(9) Ettusais Premium CC amino cream. Bubbles bought this. It gave an instant glow and evened out Bubbles' skin tone. It is also pink!

(10) A blob of the CC amino cream. Bubbles was surprised that it was pink. It looks very light against Bubbles' human

(11) But it blends out well and will become invisible on the face. The pink adds radiance.

(12) Ettusais Premium Luminous Powder. This is a powder and highlighter all in one. To use it as a powder, mix the shades. To use it as a highlighter, pick up the shade on the left only. The highlighter powder is non-sparkly, unlike Bubbles' Cle de Peau one, so it looks like we have a real winner here!

(13) The powder brush is housed on top

(14) Mirror and powder/highlighter below. The powder is very fine. Bubbles asked if it had oil control properties, and the Ettusais folks replied that it controls sebum and gives hydration. How could this alpaca resist!? It followed her home. 

(15) Testers we played with. 

(16) Bubbles' haul - pink bag with purchases, white bag with door gift

(17) Bubbles bought the powder and CC cream, and got a blue pouch and clear gel effect top coat free. The door gift contained a mirror, an eye make up remover, and some acne thingo which Bubbles will figure out in due time.

(18) A contented alpaca. 

Innisfree Jejuhouse at Samcheongdong

This is the biggest Alpaca Adventure yet! The alpacas went to Seoul for summer, and though they skipped going to Jeju, they found the only other Innisfree Jejuhouse store in Korea right in the middle of Seoul, in Samcheongdong!

Exclusive products such as the fresh topping packs, Innirang merchandise and diffusers are sold only at this store (outside of Jeju). The store even gives you a lucky coin when you spend 20,000 won (around S$24), which you put into a vending machine to get a little box of samples or coupons. Of course, if you like, you can also keep the coin as a souvenir.

How the fresh topping packs work:

There are 11 different flavours, each packed in a little sachet (W1000 each). Each one has different functions, for example walnut shells are for exfoliating, soybean is for firming and volcanic is for pore cleansing. Most of them are powders, and only the camellia and canola honey are essences. You're supposed to pick any two flavours to mix into the base. There are 2 bases to choose from: creamy or clay (W3000 each). Each base comes in a 15 ml container which is good for 2 uses (use it up within a week for maximum freshness). You could buy a spatula from Innisfree (1000 won) to mix the toppings in, but you could just as easily use something from your kitchen. They recommend adding just 2 toppings so that your skin can absorb it all. Do not use 2 essence-type toppings together or it may get too oily.

 Other exclusive merchandise (notebooks, bags etc.)

Lucky box!

Coins for the lucky box

The other highlight of this store is the cafe which serves organic food on the 2nd and 3rd floors. They have a good selection of drinks, cakes, tarts, and soup which comes with bread. The food is really nice and it's organic, if you happen to be a health-conscious alpaca. The cafe overlooks Samcheongdong street and is located opposite a popular Samcheongdong Sujebi restaurant. It was not crowded on both days the alpacas had lunch there, even during the usual lunch hours.

Order at the 2nd floor

2nd floor

2nd floor

3rd floor

View from the 3rd floor

Citrus Sudachi cake (W6000)

Pumpkin tart

Potato soup with walnut bread (W8000)

The store sells various types of fruit jam and tea as well.

The only thing to take note of is that this store does not offer tax refunds for tourists, so you might not want to do all your shopping here -- just the exclusive products. They also don't carry make-up and some of the other products you usually find in other stores.

The store is located along Samcheongdong's cafe street, and is actually along the course of the Bukchon Hanok Village walk, according to the map you can get from tourist information booths in the area. Make a right turn after you come down from the stone steps. It is across the road from a Samcheongdong Sujebi restaurant which always has a queue outside.
Address: 104 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Tel: 02-734-0585
Opening hours: 10 am to 10 pm

Bubbles' Summer Essentials and the Sulwhasoo Camellia Hair Oil review

Whoo, it's hot in here! Is it because Bubbles is back? Or is it because it's summer season?

Bubbles will be sharing what she uses to remain a well-groomed alpaca in the thirty-something degree heat. Bubbles will also unveil her latest baby - the Sulwhasoo Camellia Oil, for hair.

(1) Waterproof Mascara that does not smudge: First up, at the bottom, is the Etude House "Lash Perm All Shockcara". This is a black mascara that never smudges on Bubbles, even if she's been working up a sweat outside. Bubbles has not falsely impersonated a raccoon since switching over to this mascara. Its sister, the Etude House "Lash Perm 3 Step Volumecara", doesn't fare as well, since it  smudges by midday and is holy hard to remove from the under eye area.

(2) Coral blush: TheBalm's "Frat Boy" has been worn daily for the past two weeks. A warm and rosy pink, but apply with a light hand to avoid the dreaded baboon-bottom effect.

(3) Shu Uemura depsea hydrability moisturizing lip balm (blue tube): Because chapped lips are not cute, and because Bubbles bought this in end-2012... there's still a good half-tube to go. It smells of grape candy (still) so it's probably okay to use (but quickly). Texture is thick and sticky but clear, so best worn before sleeping at night for that kissable pucker the next day.

(4) Chanel UV Essentiel Complete Daily UV Protection Anti-Pollution SPF 50/PA+++ (white rectangle): Sunblock to prevent sunspots, and this one's awesome because it has a serious oil-controlling properties. It looks like correction fluid (milky white) but smells powdery. It makes an excellent makeup base as well - dust some translucent powder over it and you're good to go. Does not leave any noticeable white cast.

(5) Ettusais white body mist (white bottle): A spray to nix any pesky zits on the body.

(6) KOSE Medicated Sekkisei (lotion) (large blue bottle): Bubbles soaks mask pellets (above lotion bottle in photo) in this lotion before putting them on her mien. The alcohol smell is crazily strong at the start (you WILL gag), so Bubbles' tip is to hold the soaked mask in front of a fan for about 10 seconds. After which, the alcohol smell will disappear (does alcohol evaporate that fast???), leaving behind a divine floral/herbsy scent that is unique to all KOSE products. Skin is brighter after each use, and the mask is SO cooling.

(7) Macadamia Healing Oil treatment (green label bottle): a musky and fruity smelling hair oil that tames frizz in the hot summer months. Bubbles can't get enough of the scent!

(8) Cle de Peau translucent loose powder (circle thing with brush): Worn over sunscreen or foundation, loose powder sets makeup and removes any shiny bits from Bubbles' face. Ooh, deceptive!

Next up, we have the Sulwhasoo Camellia Oil. Bubbles and Cuddles tried it at the Tangs counter today and it was LOVE. The oil is clear and runny and has a light floral scent. When 3-5 drops are applied to dry hair, it smooths out any frizz, especially at the ends. When applied on damp hair, the dried hair has less frizz and feels smoother and softer. It can also be used as a hair mask but Bubbles forgot what the Sulwhasoo advisor said because she was SO excited about this oil, and distracted by all the freebies on offer. This product is promising, and it looks like the alpacas' impulse buy has turned out to be a savvy investment! Yours for SGD $42.

Toodles!

Update: Hauls

The alpacas haven't been very active online, but they certainly have been active offline. Let the fun begin!

1. Mask haul from Sasa Singapore. Bubbles wanted to try out more masks so she could plan her buys in Hong Kong. There was an offer for My Scheming masks at 6 for $10. Cuddles really likes the MBD red tea mask for oil control.

 2. Ciate dolls house collection. Cuddles got suckered by the packaging.

3. Chanel nail polish number 27253849, in Paparazzi. And two sunblock samples courtesy of the nice salesman.

4. Sometime last month Bubbles went on a shopping holiday to Hong Kong.

All ready to go!

Bubbles travels light with her numerous samples. 

5. Bubbles and Sasa are a very good combination. MASK HAUL OF THE MILLENNIUM.

6. Bubbles bought Kose stuff for Cuddles because it is cheaper in Hong Kong.

7. Bubbles bought Jill Stuart stuff for Cuddles because it is available in Hong Kong.

8. Bubbles packed her masks away into two shoeboxes.

9. Here's what Bubbles bullied Father Alpaca into buying at the Duty Free. 

10. Sulwhasoo restock, thanks to Father Alpaca at the Duty Free in Korea. The Ginseng cream is a present for Mother Alpaca who is now also a Sulwhasoo convert *beams*

Oh, the opulence!

Rightfully on a pedestal

As though it needs a higher pedestal...

Samples for Bailey

11. Bubbles walked into MISSHA and came out with more stuff. What's new?