I've been dying to share today's post with you!
If you've not heard of Troiareuke, they're a Korean brand that's annoyingly difficult to get hold of in the UK, in fact no, outside of Korea. I had a go at it around 6 months ago, failed and forgot about it. New Troiareuke stockists for the western market (meaning we can now get it worldwide yasssss), KBeautyBay, recently got in contact, as if the answer to my woes, asking if I'd like to try some skincare - to which I said YES, I've been dying to for months! So today I'm excited to finally share how I've got on with my picks eek!
The cushion foundation that's supposed to give you a little extra - H+ for Healing. With frankly quite clinical packaging (the white and green looks distinctly 'medical' to me), this cushion comes in the usual compact - mirror, air-tight layer, SPF 50 formula and air puff all included.
On first impressions, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is nothing special - the sponge soaked in foundation and air puff all seem very ordinary. On the back of my hand though, there's a lovely, hydrated appearance to the product, due to the Skin Moisture Shield - a thin film of moisture formed on the skin to help prevent trans-epidermal water loss and protect from drying external factors.
On the skin it's immediately noticeable that the balance between lightness and coverage appears to be perfect. The cushion gives at the very least a medium-buildable coverage (so much so that I don't generally use concealer, you could get to pretty full coverage with this, and for reference the first selfie is cushion + Skin Complex Formula only - you can still see my hyperpigmentation a little on my cheek, and the second is with the rest of my makeup, including the new Rosie For Autograph palette - review and swatches etc here) but still feels lightweight, in fact, nigh on weightless on the skin. For a cushion that claims to control excess sebum and be suitable for oilier skins, this has a dewier finish than I'd expected (it's closer to my favourite IOPE than Etude House's Real Powder for reference) - although it's interesting that it's initial finish is how it stays for the rest of the day, and they've somehow managed to impart a hydrated finish that doesn't get any oilier? There's one detrimental factor to this cushion and that's that it's only available in the one shade - fantastic if you're around an NC/NW 15-20 but a real disappointment if you're not.
This cream is something of an excitement for me. If you were to assume that this were any ordinary moisturiser then you might be somewhat underwhelmed when you see how little product you get - 25ml to be exact - I almost initially thought this was a sample size.
This is, in fact, a specialist treatment - originally used after in-house post skin-resurfacing to aid recovery, skin regeneration and prevent dehydration of treated areas. The 'Water Shine Effect' leaves your skin feeling and looking positively glistening without shimmer or greasiness.
Ingredients
Water, Squalane, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Panthenol, Bergamot Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Orange Fruit Extract, Tangerine Fruit Extract, Phytosphingosine, Ascorbic Acid, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Ceramide 3, C8-12 Acid Triglyceride, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Lethicin, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid.
The cream's predominant ingredient is squalane, a naturally occuring compound present in our skin's lipid barrier that prevents moisture loss, whilst restoring suppleness and elasticity. Glycerin, panthenol, portulaca oleracea, ceramide 3, cholesterol and the fatty acid phytosphingosine all also contribute to skin moisturisation, hydration and reducing inflammation and it's clear to see that on the skin. Whilst it feels quite rich on first impressions, there's a slip and slide provided by the use of silicones that makes this smooth right out on my skin. This is a product that I feel benefits from knowledge and proper application, rather than something you can just slap on in whatever situation. Directions I've found via research suggest not using this on acne prone or troublesome pore areas and having played about with it I fully second that instruction - I've applied this to my entire face and I looked really shiny, like a billiard ball. Instead, you're advised to use this on specifically targeted areas, like under the eyes, the crows feet area, along your smile lines or on the lips. It's a really comfortable formula to wear, not sticky nor oily, and makes the targeted area look legitimately dewy - this is my idea of the ultimate chok chok/mul gwang finish.
Antioxidants and humectants add moisture to the skin in this specialised spray toner. What makes it genius (and where I completely missed the point) is that this toner is formulated to mix with any one of Troiareuke's four ampoules for targeted skin concerns - green for calming and soothing, red for elasticity and anti-wrinkle, yellow for brightening and blue for anti-bacteria/acne. Fortunately for me, their toner-ampoule range is very much customisable, and you can use this alone as a spray-on toner/hydrator to be used before or after makeup, and use the ampoules on their own too.
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Japanese Red Pine Bark Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Camomile Flower Extract, Jasmine Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Flower Extract, Satsuma Mandarin Peel Extract, Saururus Chinensis Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Chestnut Shell Extract, Salicornia Herbecea Extract, Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Grapefruit Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Betaine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propylene Glycol, Calendula Flower Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Hypericum Perforatum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Perfume.
This toner claims to have a 'strong antioxidant effect', which I think is justified when you look at how many botanical extracts it includes - 10 flower extracts alone. It has a delicious scent - no doubt a combination of the fruity extracts and some fragrance - which reminds me wholeheartedly of the Korean skincare I used to obsess over years ago (specially curated boxes of Asia-exclusive Dior that I used to pander my family for in the Seoul department stores). On the skin I love how this feels. It's not so insipid and 'nothing-y' as water or other super light toners - it leaves behind a hydration and plumping effect that you can feel and is evident. I don't know whether my spray was faulty but it's not so much of a fine mist, more of a 'squirt', so I'd advise dispensing first onto a cotton pad.
You can pick up as much or as little from the Troiareuke range via KBeautyBay (who ship worldwide) and use the code barelytherebeauty007 for 15% off your order so don't forget to save when you checkout (I make no gains from this code so use as freely as you wish!).
Do let me know if you pick up anything - I'm sure you'll love it!
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