Review: Clio - Virgin Kiss Tension Lip Oil Tint (#08 Just Coral)

Review: Clio - Virgin Kiss Tension Lip Oil Tint (#08 Just Coral)

Packaging: It comes in a sturdy plastic bottle (5.5ml) equipped with an equally sturdy wand that has a slight groove for ease of application. Much like a lip gloss, the wand doubles as a cap that spins off to open. It picks up a perfect amount of product to apply in one go.  

Price: I bought this product for sale on Jolse for just $13.16 USD. Lip tints tend to go for cheaper prices, but since this brand, Clio, is known for its high coverage products, I decided the price was right; this is a brand that does not sacrifice its amazing color payoff for a smoother application. It manages to provide 

Consistency: It has a very nice creamy consistency that spreads easily. I personally like to apply the product with a light hand for a lighter, more natural look, but layering the product for a more vivid look is also possible (take a look at panel 2 before the product has been spread in the last photo to see what I mean). Because this product is not your average lip tint, but rather, is a lip oil tint, the creamy consistency does not feel thick. Instead, it feels just slightly thicker than an oil treatment lip product – like the perfect combination of a creamy lip gloss and an oil treatment product. As the product sets there is a moderate amount of transfer, but if allowed ample time to dry and stain the lips, I find that there is little to no transfer. The staying power is also moderate. While I personally do not feel the need to reapply throughout the day, people looking for a more vivid look may need to.

Scent: I find it a bit difficult to describe the scent of this product. It definitely has a fresh component to it, but is not strong in the way you might expect a skin product to be. I think what might be more important to note than the scent would be the taste, which is akin to accidentally licking your lips after applying foundation that managed to get on your lips in its application. It tastes like makeup; not terrible nor particularly strong, but you would definitely not want to try and lick your lips after applying it.

Ingredients: When it comes to lip products, I am never too concerned with the ingredient list because there is nothing I am allergic to, but I do like to know how the product intends to keep my lips feeling “moisturized” while still providing color. It is unfortunate that I could not find a full ingredient list anywhere at this time for those who are concerned about possible allergic reactions with certain ingredients… So if you have any sensitivities or allergies to be concerned about, I might avoid this one for a while until an ingredient list shows up.

In the first panel of my last photo I present my lips just as they always are naturally, which is generally very dry (and often cracked) as I do not drink as much water as I probably should, nor do I exfoliate my lips, use lip masks, etc. This makes it difficult for me to find lip products that provide enough moisture to accommodate my issues without requiring me to sacrifice color payoff. So when I found this product, which is just what I had been looking for, you can only imagine how excited I was. The selling point for me was when I read that it would treat dry and cracked lips. Well, I would not say it is a lip treatment by any means, but it does not contribute to even drier lips, which generally causes clumps and clinging. In the third panel of my last photo, you can see that it does not accentuate any dry bits or cracks and there is very, very minimal clinging. In person, the clinging is not even visible unless one were to get right up in your face to look at your lips. And the reason for this amazing formula? I may not have been able to find a complete ingredient list, but I did, however, find out that this product contains a “7 red oil complex” which is made up of the following:

• Rosa Canina (Rose Hip Seed) Oil
• Camellia (Tea Seed) Oil
• Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower Oil
• Geranium Maculatum (Spotted Cranesbill) Oil
• Safflower Seed Oil
• Borago Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil
• Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Oil

These oils contain vitamins that not only moisturize, but also mildly exfoliate the dead skin on your lips. And because they are oils, they also help create a protective seal/barrier on your lips that promotes healing. These are exactly the kinds of ingredients you should be looking for in lip products if you want to see amazing results.

Overall Review: In case it was not already very obvious with my glowing review, I am in love with this product. It gives me the moisture my lips crave and need while still providing an amazing color payoff. I no longer have to worry about my dry patches and cracked lips compromising such a beautifully colored lip product since it does not accentuate these flaws, but instead corrects them. Finally, I can enjoy a color other than my usual natural, muted pink. I cannot recommend this product enough. 5/5.

Review: Missha - Fitting Wear Sebum-Cut Pressed Powder No.1 (Clear Mint)

Packaging: This product is very similar to the packaging of a BB cushion. As such, it is housed in a compact case (11g) with a clear, plastic tray that holds the accompanying puff.

Price: I bought this from MisshaCA for about $20 CAD, and for a long while it was also available on MisshaUS for about $15 USD, but it appears to have been taken down, unfortunately. 

Consistency: This product feels very light and almost silky-smooth when pressed onto your skin with the accompanying puff. It never feels heavy nor does it make my makeup cake up at all, even after multiple applications. As you can see from the photos above, it effectively makes my skin appear matte and removes any shine I may have. I chose #1 (clear mint) because I wanted to worry a little less about my redness peeking through my BB cream, and thankfully it does this quite well, although in person it looks more white than it does “mint.” And when applied, it does not appear to accentuate dry skin patches very much (unless severe, I imagine). Last but not least, there is no ugly flashback when worn during flash photography!

Scent: Absolutely no scent!

Ingredients: According to CosDNA, there are only three ingredients that may be acne-triggering (which all scored a 1): talc, dimethicone (emollient), and squalane (moisturizer + antioxidant + emollient). The ingredients that stand out the most to me are:

• Squalane, which helps seal in moisture and provides a barrier between your skin and environmental detriments like pollution.
• Honey Extract, which heals the skin and provides anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties (which makes this product great for those with acne issues).
• Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, which heals and brightens the skin, but also keeps your makeup from becoming dark/oxidizing.

Now, I know what you must be thinking: “Isn’t coconut notorious for clogging pores?!” I am thankful to report that it has never, ever clogged my pores, nor has it caused any breakouts even though my skin is rather oily most of the time and acne-prone. I think the very small amount of coconut extract that is present would not be enough to actually contribute to clogged pores, especially since this product does so well at absorbing the sebum on the skin. Of course, if you have a sensitivity or allergy to coconut or coconut-derived extracts, you may want to practice caution and avoid this product.

Squalane, on the other hand, is well-tolerated by most and I do not think it should be any cause for concern unless, again, if you have a sensitivity or allergy to it. Something important to note is that this ingredient is “squalane,” not to be confused with squalene, which is different. According to The Dermatology Review:

[Squalane] oil, which occurs naturally in the body, is also found in olive oil and in the livers of certain sharks. Squalane is not to be confused with squalene, which is the non-hydrogenated form of shark liver oil and which tends to quickly oxidize when exposed to the air. 

Thankfully, Missha is a brand known for being against the testing of products on animals. The squalane present in this product comes from olive oil! And furthermore, The Dermatology Review also mentions that: 

Many skin care experts and other medical professionals assert that squalane has a number of positive effects on uneven skin pigmentation, scars, and age spots. Much like retinol, this oil is believed to fight free radicals in the skin that are caused by the sun’s UV rays. This is an important consideration, because dark spots on face and hands are often caused by the skin’s reaction to long-term exposure to the sun, which creates more melanin in those areas to protect it. 

Overall Review: I do not think this product receives as much love as it should. In the Asian beauty world, people are quick to point us shiny-faced sufferers to the Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Pact, but when I used that powder, it personally did not seem to last quite as long as this one does. In actuality, this product also seemed a lot more smooth and less grainy than the Innisfree one. And oddly enough, I seem to breakout a lot less when I wear this product daily, probably due to its amazing ingredients and ability to absorb excess oil. It is, without a doubt, one of my holy grail items that I hope will never become discontinued. 5/5.

Review: Cosrx - Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Overnight Mask

Packaging: This product comes in a rather small plastic tub (50g) accompanied by an inner seal and a twist-off black cap.

Price: I got this for sale on Jolse for about $14 USD. This has lasted me well over six months because such a little amount can go a long way (however, full disclosure: I did not use this every day – more on this in a moment).

Consistency: If I had been reviewing this on the first day that I tried it, I may have given it a 5/5 rating simply because it feels so nice on my skin. The consistency is what some may refer to as “chewy” or jello-like because it has sort of bounce to it. When applying it to the skin, it spreads easily like a watery serum. Once it is all rubbed in, it feels lightly moisturizing and minimally tacky to the touch. This product does not feel rich at all, so oily skin types would likely be the best candidates for it.

Scent: No scent! Great for sensitive skin types and those who dislike fragrances in their cosmetics.

Ingredients: A CosDNA analysis revealed that there were a couple of things that could either be irritating or acne-causing, such as butylene glycol (solvent + moisturizer), dimethicone (emollient), carbomer (viscosity control), and beeswax (viscosity control + emollient + emulsifier). Personally, I experienced no irritation or acne from this product but I can imagine the beeswax possibly being an issue for others.

What I found interesting about this product is that it actually contained no real honey at all – what a misleading name! It does, however, have bee by-products such as propolis (85%) and, of course, the beeswax. Topical usage of propolis has been gaining more attention in the beauty world due to its propensity to help heal wounds and fight off infections. It is a mixture of bee saliva and beeswax gathered from budding flowers, sap, and so forth. Bees use this mixture on their beehives to keep intruders out but also to “sterilize” themselves as they move in and out of the hive. One study in 2003 found that:

Topical propolis is a well-tolerated therapy for wound healing and […]  it may enhance wound closure.

Another study in 2013:

Due to its antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties, it is widely used in human and veterinary medicine, pharmacology, and cosmetics. 

In the same study, the researchers investigate all of these claims and find that they are true, albeit not being some kind of “miracle” ingredient as I am sure many might hope for. 

Beeswax is a substance made out of honey and pollen which makes up the “combs” of the beehive. I only found one study from 2003 that found beeswax to be beneficial to those with skin issues such as dermatitis and psoriasis vulgaris when applied topically, but their sample size was considerably small, making it hard to really back up these claims. More studies are definitely needed (considering how often beeswax makes its way into our cosmetics). So this is probably where Cosrx decided they would name their product a “honey” one, but in my opinion, this is not honey in and of itself, and they would have been better off calling this product a “propolis” one – especially since that is the main ingredient, making up 85% of the formulation.

After months of usage, I can honestly say this did little to nothing for my acne or any flaking I experienced at the time. In fact, as an “overnight mask,” intended to be the last step of your skincare routine to seal everything in, it did not perform at all to my expectations. It did not appear to seal very much moisture in, and in the end, I found out I was better off using this product on its own as a light moisturizer at night. If I used it during the day, it made my face appear shiny and my makeup felt like it would just slide off. 

Overall Review: I bought this product due to the hype surrounding it and the brand, but truly, I was disappointed. I felt that the name was misleading and it did not work well as an overnight mask. It definitely made no difference in how quickly my acne healed, either. In fact, it really felt like it simply did nothing at all; nothing good nor bad came of this product. But still, just because it did not work out well for me, there must be a good reason as to why so many others are in love with it. It is fragrant-free, has a simple ingredient list, and a little goes a long way. But perhaps I was disappointed because I realized there were better overnight masks out there that also provided me with more benefits. At any rate, I do not foresee myself buying this particular product again, though I do still love Cosrx and intend to try out more of their products. 2/5.