Seoul Trip Haul

I finally got the time to post this, this time it's not the writing take slows me but transferring of pictures... I was just lazy to get the wire and transferring the picture, bluetooth all 400+ pics from the trip.... haihhhh lagilah. 

And it's Ramadhan, so I wasn't really blogging actively as well there's some stuff that need my attention.

So apologies to my blog!haha!

So again I want to keep this simple, I got some other post to publish but I thought I started with this.

The Seoul Trip I had in July was really really a BLASTT!! IT was eleven of us, 12 days in  Seoul, total chaos, hahaha! It feel a bit unfortunate that I don't get to go to other places in S. Korea like Jeju but seriously nevermind that. Not visiting other places might mean  I would visit South Korea again. There were a lot of adventure and I surely want to share it here though I really want to finish previous summer trip post, but it will happen. 

That's kind of like an intro of the trip and here's the haul!

Seoul HAUL!! - 

So other than albums I definitely aims to spree on skincare and cosmetics. The thing is, I'm kind of a 'generous' traveler, I'm definitely not too thrifty for pocket money when travelling. I would spent on food; meals and snacks, I definitely not the type who eat just bread for dinner to save money. This result that my shopping budget is not as much.
I do admit that there's some of thing I would like to buy but didn't get to, like YG Family latest Concert DVD, but I got 2NE1 Nolza Concert DVD. Other albums I got BIG BANG Still Alive (Big Bang version) *ergghhhh I should have gotten the TOP's version* and 2PM Hands Up *they didn't have the concert '-.-* and at the last minute I just pickup Big Bang Alive as well, first it's the packaging, which is really damnnnn! And I thought of getting TOP's version and they sold out? '-.- since the price is not that pressing I just pick up GD's version, hahaha! some part of me do think of getting other albums, but I still end up paying for that! I was also looking for Brown Eyed Girls but they don't have it... haihhhh... the sad story of buying albums...'-.- continue on

Note: I don't include some stuffs that I bought for other people

As you might know skincare market are BIG in Korea. In every area I went to I will see these stores; Tony Moly, Etude House, Missha, Nature's Republic *some of the popular stores, kind of high street* and many more. Even in the subways station!! And they close at 9 or 10 pm or even later, oh my god! Shopping paradise! You know I have been staying in the UK which stores close by 6pm, so shopping later at night did make me feel refreshed. And when we got there it's the summer sale, and at airports we got goodies bag that contain free generous sample of skincare even a premium line *dying of happiness* not to forget that when I shopped for cosmetics not only they were discounted but they also give out free stuff... these what they call "SERVICES" or "EVENT", cool!

The free samples I got including a 5 sheets of facemask (the green one) - Nature's Republic, Tony Moly

I have used some of free samples and I might come up with a post on like short review or first impression.

For skincare I was looking for something uniquely Korean *something of a big hype* and premium.

My eyes caught the PREMIUM SNAIL Intense Care from Tony Moly,

Yes,  it's snails! Before this, I had read about snail's secretion (mucin) skincare goodness, it's good for rejuvenation and it has healing properties, very good for acne prone or post acne prone *like me*. In Korea snail skincare was the hype a while back. Most brands have their own snail skincare range, but I decide to get this because it's discounted. 

So from the Tony Moly Intense Care Snail I got the:-

• Snail Cream (45ml) which include a sample of the Snail Eye Cream (15ml) in the box
• Snail Essence (35ml)  which include sample of the Snail Skin (20ml) which a toner and Snail Lotion (20ml) in the box. 
• Snail Foam Cleanser - FREE full size package. OH MY GOD!

 I love them! Like I said before these are premium skincare, so it's quite pricey. I thought getting the mask but it's sold together with the ampule which are too pricey for my budget.

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  Picture below, from left: *Tony Moly Intense Care Snail* Foam Cleanser (free), ** Essence ( 38,000 won),
  **Cream (35,000+ won? can't really remember),  Tony Moly Floria Berry Anti-Wrinkle Sleeping Pack (15,000 won? Can't remember as well)

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• Tony Moly Floria Berry Anti-wrinkle Sleeping Pack. 

Sleeping pack/mask, again, very popular in Korea. This is suppose to be put on after all your night skincare, you sleep with it and wake up with healthy great skin. For this range, there's another one for whitening which I want to get first but this had more discount, hahah! Not that expensive and the discount reduced it's price a lot. It contains blueberry flower, and no I don't recall this ingredient before, but I trust Koreans, hahah! 

I haven't use these stuff yet, will do soon probably when I'm back in Belfast. 

Next skincare products that are popular there are face mask in sheets, ok they have these around the world but not as many and as popular as in South Korea that even guys regularly use them. They have many affordable and cheaper version, but they are still very good.

Now, I just realize that I only bought snail related mask, I'm not sure what was I thinking, but I just didn't get to buy other type of mask.

• Nature Republic Snail Therapy 1000 Hydrogel mask sheets 5s
• Nature Republic Snaytox Anti-Wrinkle Hydrogel mask 5s
• Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination watery mask 5s (FREE)

 Snail Therapy and Snaytox mask are the most expensive mask sheet I found there with price at almost 5,000 won per sheets, so these mask almost cost 50,000 won.

• Tony Moly Natural Pulp Essence Sheet Mask in Snail  10s, price at 10,000 *I should have gotten other type too... oh man*

From Left: Nature Republic Snail Therapy 1000 Hydrogel Mask sheet, Nature's Republic Snaytox Anti-Wrinkle Hydrogel Mask, Tony Moly Nature Pulp Essence Sheet Mask Snail.

From the skincare shopping experience I had in Seoul, I just had to say that most of the staff does not speak English, but usually they do have one or two staffs that speaks English especially in popular area like Myeongdong. Some of them are really good and explain well and convincing, some are good enough to be helpful. Now with that, foreigners definitely have no problems getting explanation on the products and some product have English explanation but you might get a bit iritated due to the ridiculous error *ko-nglish*. I wonder how would it be shopping at French pharmacy...

Ok now on makeup. As you can see, I don't buy much. I think because uniquely Korean makeup style is not really my style and I'm not really into looking like typical Korean stars which they usually go for natural simple look and lot of eyeliner.Only a few Korean celebrities manage to amaze me, usually singer like Lee Hyori since singer they experiment with look. Korean actress? Drama and film? Not really. So again, I look for something popular among Koreans and suit my style as well and I got these three items.

From Left: Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA+++ in No.23 Natural  Beige (25,000+ won), Tony Moly Crystal Light Pink Beam (less than 10,000 won), Tony Moly Tony Tint Red Apple (less than 10,000 won)

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA+++ in No.23 Natural  Beige 

BB creams are the mother of base makeup in of the Koreans. There, believe me even each brand can carry up to 10  type of BB cream and then we got varieties of brands, so IT IS A LOT of variety to choose from. However, thank god that I am dark tanned not many will actually suit me. I don't think there's any that matches me exactly and I had my experience with BB cream which I decide it's not really my style, but since this is popular in Korea I had to get one no matter what.

• Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream in No.23

It is one of the most popular BB cream *internationally*, there's tons of reviews on the internet, and what make's it really really popular is that it's coverage is really good and that it matches darker skintone better. This was the first BB cream I always wanted to try, but I just didn't get the chance. After a while I just didn't bother.

I already used this and it's actually quite good, and the coverage is interesting. It's not about how much it covering, but how the covering feels *does that make sense?*. I would simply said it covers unlike how full coverage foundation  do, which is better... I'll explain more in a deeper review in the future. Other than that, I also like that it is not only SPF 42 but also PA+++.

Left: Tony Moly Crystal Light Pink Beam, Tony Moly Tony Tint in Red Apple.

 Another staple in Koreans makeup that suite my style is liquid HIGHLIGHTER or they call it "pearl". Koreans usually go for that overall glow by mixing into their base*BB creams usually* and add more of this on high points of the face. I never had liquid highlighter before but I tried cream type like MAC Cream Colour Base in Pearl. 

•  Tony Moly Crystal Light Pink Beam

At first I bought this for my sister because I don't like the colour being pink, I prefer it in champagne or gold tones *warmer tone* but they don't have that. But since I'm quit an avid highlighter user, I end up putting it on. And it's actually look decent. It definitely does not show up as pink, and it applied almost sheer. At first I thought it's quite shimmery and glittery but it does not seem that way when I put on, it give a nice sheen 'glowy' effect. I'm impressed with it for now. At one look, it's actually a dupe for Benefits High Beam. It is I think, but I think it might be better than Benefit. I tried swatching on Benefits Sun Beam before, and it's surprisingly very shimmery unlike what I see in review by vlog, so I reckon High Beam might be same... hmmm.

• Tony Moly Tony Tint in RED APPLE

When I beginning to wear makeup I do like the stained or tinted look, natural pink/red lips but not so anymore since now I'm so into deep and bright lip colour. However, my friends on the trip was making a fuss on lip tint and I thought I check it out.  Again, there are  a lot of varieties and definitely very popular and I would say uniquely Koreans. There's shiny type, pale pink, bright pink even orange... If you think Korean celebrities are baring their lips naked and got a healthy pink colour, think again. They are 98% probably wearing lip tint. 
What actually make me purchase this, is the shade, Red Apple. I swatched it on, and it's really a decent colour that really suit my style. It can be deep red, not pink *though you can stained it to light* and it's matte. It stained lips so it should stay on longer. However, it is quite a mess to get it stained my lips and for now, I think it's just an ok product. It's totally fine since it's cheap

As I was visiting places and others I always notice they sell compact mirror. There's lot of beautiful and elegant  design and by the end of trip I decide buy one. I got mine from Insadong and it's 10,000 won I think. I like it that it's white with slight iridescent  and design is pretty, got a bit of hangul, definitely a sweet token from Korea. Plus I want to touch-up my lipstick, I don't have to take out my compact powder which is convenient

Non-cosmetics/fashion Items : Mirror, slingbag, necklace, bracelets

In the trip, I do want to get a bag, but I don't know, probably I didn't set up a budget so I was not sure what bag to get and I already set my eyes for a certain bag of certain brand and by then I have spent most of my money for skincare. 

However, I manage to get this one very  lovely and very inexpensive bag. I first saw one in green at Myeondong and thought I will get it when I go to Myeondung for serious shopping. But when I went there again, the green is gone!! argghhh... So there were only black and orange and I choose orange so it is more interesting. Anyway, since it's cheap I would experiment with bolder colour.

Orange Slingbag - 10,000 won

Although it's cheap and well, synthetic materials *you know how much I like my leather*, to me it looks expensive. It's simple, no brand attached, I hate those imitation brand stamp... The design is nice and the leopard print definitely interest me and it's quite boxy, long strap/handle and bright coloured, totally Korean style. hahah!

Necklace 9,000 won, blue beads bracelet 3,000 won, leather band bracelet 8,000 won

I bought old gold necklace and blue orange bracelet at Hongdae.
It's actually intresting to shop at Hongdae as well, the small boutiques and standup stall. Probably because that Hongdae is the place for artist etc, there are actually a lot of cool interesting design in for fashion items, though it's not always cheap. I like the necklace being old gold, the wing is of decent size and there's a 'touch' of leather and makes it a bit interesting and it's actually look simple.
Now the bead bracelet! I totally love it! I've been wearing it a lot a lot since I got it, the colour is really nice the patches of blue and orange in beads makes it's stood out on my wrist. I should have got more, arghhhh... but that time it was quite early in the trip so I was a bit careful when purchasing stuff.

Then I got thin leather bracelet at Dongdaemun, it's quite pricey, but the cheaper alternatives didn't look as good as this one. I actually wanted to try to the spiky one, you see them quite popular these days but after a lot of thinking, I forgo it. I thought if I want to get spiky bracelet, it's popular now, so I can get it elsewhere. So I end up buying this since again it looks elegant, simple, I definitely will wear it piled on *if I want to style up to the max* . I like the golden clip and I did have a hard time choosing the colour but I guess you can never go wrong with tanned leather.

I just realize that I didn't take individual pictures of the scarf I got there as well, it was from Insadong, 4,000 won per piece, which is quite cheap. I bought two *again, should have gotten another one*, one with large blue floral print, and one with small red flowers, you can see it on the first picture above.  And probably in the future I put up OOTDs with the scarf.

So I hope you guys enjoy this haul and hopefully this post give a peek into what you guys getting while shopping in Seoul, South Korea.