Korean Makeup Review - Innisfree Real Fit Lipstick #8 Rosy Latte

REVIEW of the INNISFREE REAL FIT LIPSTICK

Another day, another review - I'm on a review roll this month! Finally some time to go through all the products I've been meaning to review for a while...

Edit 2017.02.03: This post contains an affiliate link (additionally marked with an * asterisk in the blog post), meaning I will make a small commission from anything you buy. View my 'About' page for the full disclaimer and my review policy! All products are purchased by me.

Before I continue with my review series of red-hue eyeshadows, I'll take a little detour through the world of lip products.

I've gone ahead and put stickers on it...
The packaging is similar to my Creamy Tint Lipsticks, so this combats confusion!

The Innisfree Real Fit Lipstick were the brand's fall release in 2015, and especially the more muted colors (#6-#10) made quite a splash. Perfectly fitted to the season, the colors were elegant and subdued, with some nudes thrown into the mix.

From the official homepage

I'd been wanting to get my hands on one - but, confession time, I'm not a big 'hauler'. I had other lipsticks I was completely happy with and didn't need anything in particular, so I waited... but as I'll be on a small television program end of this month, I was craving an alternative to my usual bright colors - something that would be easy to wear and elegant no matter the time of day or occasion.

After looong deliberation, I went with the main color of the line:

#8 라떼 한잔 로지 Latte Hanchan (meaning: one cup) Rosy, or as the official translation on Amazon goes: Innisfree Real Fit #8 Latte Rosy (*)

Real Fit Lipstick 'A lipstick that instantly covers your lips with a clear color and without a heavy feeling'

Innisfree Real Fit Lipstick #8 Latte Rosy

I just love the name! In Korean, it gives the feeling of ordering a cup of latte. The line also had a Coral Latte and a Pink Latte (#6 and #7) but those looked a bit too pale/nude for me.

The claims on the packaging:
- light fitting
- clear color
- long lasting
- camellia oil

The whole line is described as lightweight with just one stroke of the lipstick providing intense color.

My expectations were high, and I wasn't disappointed!

The packaging and size are identical to the Creamy Tint Lipsticks from innisfree: Small and compact, very sturdy. One lipstick contains 3.5g of product and retails in Korea for 12,000 \ - I got it on sale for 9,000. If you're in Korea for a while, chances are that you'll catch an innisfree sale weekend. ;)

The color is exactly what I had in mind, even a bit more vivid and pretty than I'd expected. (And yes, one layer is actually pigmented enough!) I'd expected it to be a bit more 'milky', but there's just the right amount of saturation for my taste.

It changes depending on lighting, so here's two swatches: The first one in indirect light, the second one in direct sunlight.

The finish is also very nice - not exactly glossy or creamy like the Colorglow Lipsticks or Creammellow Lipsticks by the same brand, but still with a sheen that makes the lips look moisturized. It does feel lightweight on the lips - after the initial slight stickiness goes away, I couldn't feel that I was wearing lipstick at all. Despite the finish looking moisturizing, the formula itself isn't, so I need lipbalm before applying.

The texture is, for lack of a better word, 'natural'. It looks like my lips would look anyway (ok, I'm being generous here...) just with more color! The 'Real Fit' name suits the feeling.

It's easy to apply just with the lipstick itself, but I still prefer using a brush for final touches.

Colorwise, this could be a MLBB shade for me. It's rosy, a bit muted, with hints of pink and a neutral or even warm undertone - very difficult to catch on camera! Imagine a pink rose petal that has dried, and there you go.

The finish reflects light really prettily, without looking heavy or creamy -
maybe I should call it a 'silky' finish?

The color is so beautiful in reality - rosy and muted without looking pale.

It does settle ever so slightly into lip lines, but that might just be my lips... I've got that problem with every single lipstick out there.

In direct sunlight, the color becomes a more vibrant rosy pink than I expected.

It does transfer onto cups, but the color itself is surprisingly long-lasting! I'd forgotten to use makeup remover on my arm after swatching, and even after showering the color was left visible till the next day... Not exactly a stain, but it does 'cling' to the skin and lips.

Eating did destroy most of the lipstick, though. I went through a huge bowl of Rice Cake Soup for the Lunar New Year, and the center of my lips was wiped clean by it. The outer rims were still intact, though, and reapplication was simple.

If I don't eat (... which is rare lol) the lipstick stays put,
only slightly fading throughout the day.

After five hours and a cup of coffee...

Final Thoughts:

I'd wanted an 'elegant' but subdued, natural color, and I think this fits the bill perfectly.

It's simple to apply, lasts long and flatters my skintone. I'm sure I'll get a lot of wear time out of this, especially during spring! The Real Fit Line was a autumn concept, but the pale rose color should fit light, pastelly spring makeup, too.

While I normally prefer lip tints (for their long lasting formulas) or creamier, more moisturizing lipsticks, the finish of this one looks silky and natural - I'm quite liking it, despite it falling outside of my comfort zone! The same goes for the color, as it isn't my usual fare of bright corals or reds, but very feminine and adaptable. I'll try combining it with some glossier, more saturated colors, as this looks like a perfect base for a gradient lip!

A stupid selfie to complete any post~

Next up will be part 2 of the eyeshadow review series - Mamonde Vivid Touch eyeshadows. I used my two shades for the eyemakeup here, too, so I thought I'd mention that already. :)

Thanks for reading and see you soon!

If you're interested in the stickers, here's the link to my Etsy Shop :D

Real Fit Lipstick - Innisfree - Rosy Latte

Korean Eyeshadow Review - Aritaum Shine Fix Eyes in #25 Vampire Kiss

Hello everyone!

This post is the start of a little series of reviews. I've got quite a lot of eyeshadows lying around and while I want to review and swatch them all, I want to do it in an *~orderly~* fashion. So, themed reviews. The first part will be a look at red hues.

While I only have one 'true' red eyeshadow, I do lean to buying reddish hues like browns, sienna colors, and the occasional orange or pink. Wearing only red is impossible for me, as my eyes just look swollen and sickly, but combining red-brown hues with a red color as the point of focus works very well for me! (also, there will be one burgundy eyeliner thrown into the mix!)

The brands introduced in this series will be my usual fare, cause I'm just that boring:

Innisfree Mineral Single Shadows (the old formulations as well as the new collection that came out in autumn 2015)
Aritaum Mono Eyes (the 'basic' eyeshadow line)
Aritaum Shine Fix Eyes (the glittery-sparkly eyeshadow line)
Mamonde

Let's start this series of with my very red, very sparkly contestant:

The Shine Fix Eyes eyeshadow line by Aritaum is quite popular in Korea! All shades are incredibly sparkly, but they also have great staying power, which makes them easy to wear when compared to some more fall-out prone glitter shadows.

Them being popular makes it a bit difficult to get certain shades on sale... As soon as they're part of an event (mostly 1+1 sales) all the popular shades are immediately sold out.

The shade I own is: Aritaum Shine Fix Eyes #25 Vampire Kiss or 뱀파이어키스

It's a deep red with gold glitter particles.

I went with this red shade because I figured that, as I don't like to wear glittery eye makeup on a daily basis, it would be great to have a more 'special' color instead of a simple one for daily use.

I'm surprised to say that this IS actually very wearable! I like to combine it with a brown hue, though.

The packaging is very well made. In addition to the screw-on lid, there's a plastic cap to protect the glittery gel-like eyeshadow from drying out or spilling.

I've already used this several times but there's not yet even a dent in the product! This lasts forever!

Shade #25 looks like a bronze color in the pot, but don't be fooled! It's really a red (leaning slightly pink), and the illusion of an orange-bronze color is created by the golden particles reflecting the light.

See? Nothing bronze there. I was really surprised how pretty this looks when swatched, but it's impossible to catch all the glittery goodness on camera...

Swatching on paper (yes, I'm an illustrator, I HAD to do this.) and on my arm.

The beige hue on top is what I'm using in the following swatches on my eye as a base color. Innisfree Mineral Single Shadow (the old collection) in #22 Cashmere 푹신푹신 캐시미어

The second from the top is the Shine Fix Eyes #25. Due to the angle and lighting, the glitter particles aren't visible - you can see the base color clearly!

The swatches below are what I normally would combine with that red shade to give the eyes some depth and definition. I'll introduce them in another blog post (this is a series after all) - they are by Mamonde and Innisfree respectively.

The Innisfree Mineral Single Shadow in #22 is barely visible on my skin, which makes for a great base color.

For the following swatches, I didn't use any primer, just layered the Shine Fix Eye #25 on top of the Innisfree Mineral Single Shadow in #22.

This was my first eyeshadow - bought it two years ago, some time after I'd moved to Korea. It's suffered a lot since then!

A warm beige with very, very, INVISIBLY tiny shimmer particles.

Here we go. Eye swatches!

First, just a tiny smudge near the eyeline. The Shine Fix Eyes are surprisingly easy to blend and use. I didn't use a brush, just my fingers - I seem to generate less fall-out this way.

Blend blend blend! I built the color up gradually, as I'd never used it all over my lid before. It's easy to layer, too. There's definitely some glitter all over my under-eye area and in my lashes, though. Not sure if that's just my lack of practice and precision, or a general feature...

I think it could be cleaned up by applying eyeliner and mascara, though!

The shade changes slightly depending on lighting. Sometimes it's more pink, sometimes a deep, blood-red. I love the glitter! The particles are very small, and the effect all over is delicate and beautiful.

Also: Red shades are great for hazel and green eyes!

Overall:

Especially when used in combination with a primer or fixer, this shadow really stays put! In that, the Shine Fix Eyes shadows are similar to the Mono Eyes shadows by the same brand. Aritaum's stuff just won't budge, or crease. The inital fall-out (if you're as untalented with application as I am...) can be cleaned with a soft brush. Once the application is done, there was no more falling out over the day.

This shade is also great for a night out - it looks good in dim light and, as I said, stays put.

Now I kinda want some more shades, though... I'm falling in love with how the glitter looks both in reality and on camera! Here you can have a look at the shade selection on Aritaum's official website. Which should I get...? (And review, of course.) #22 and #32 are calling to me!

These retail for 8,000 Won and contain 3.5 g of product each. For comparison, the Mono Eyes eyeshadows contain 1.3 g of product - so there's really a lot in these little pots here!


I hope the swatches and my rambling review were useful and I'll be back with more soon!

Over on the science side of illustration...

Hello everyone!

January has blown by (as did that blizzard here on Jeju, taking all the warmth and my trust in nature with it) and this is only my second blog post.

This month was dominated by science illustration jobs.

Yes, there were some other commissions thrown in there, but they barely made a ripple in the sea of biology, botany, anatomy...

Maybe I should mention that science illustration - or 'Scientific Visualization' - is what I graduated in back in good ol' 2013. These jobs aren't coming out of the blue.

For example, my bachelor project on molecular depictions of Alzheimer's disease (trying to combine modern fields of science with traditional illustration media like pencil...) led to a recent commission of biology illustrations, focusing on cells and molecules. 

Cute little plant cell~

Or this infographic/drawing/chaos depicting a hurricane in pencil and digital coloring led to similar projects:

Pencil, A3 paper, and lots of patience in Photoshop...

... and now a very simple adaption of that style.

And an old study of the muscles of a hand (which was drawn based on sketches made during a very long, very disturbing session in a very cool and smelly part of the local medicine school) ...

... brought about a small series of anatomy art commissions.

Yeah. I just might have a tendency to enjoy grotesque (?) subjects, made up all pretty and colorful.

This rag-tag series of commissions made me realise several points I want to improve on. 

So, here's to my good intentions for 2016!

~ Draw more realistic illustrations

~ Rediscover media like colored pencils (I've been too focused on watercolors for a while, I believe... Still my favorite material, but I want to discover new techniques!)

Which means:

Project 1: I'll draw one realistic (...let's hope) portrait in my sketchbook each week, rotating media.

Or maybe some silly little studies like this~

Project 2: Tackle a series on local plants, typical for Jeju island or South Korea in general. Old-school botany illustrations, hopefully combined with some trips around the island to take pictures and make sketches. 

Started on the nutmeg tree - there's a nutmeg tree forest right around the corner from where I live!
"Bijarim"

I won't try my hand at anything like 'daily drawings' - I draw every single day, anyway, and creating additional sketches would just get in the way of my work. But one portrait a week sounds more than doable (and I can do some round-up blog post each month) and will help me improve anyway! 

Drawing plants is pure joy, and I've wanted to do something specific to Korea and Jeju for a while. 

Very pumped!

NEW YEAR, NEW ART - Closing the year 2015 and opening art commissions for 2016

Happy new year, everyone!

How can 2015 be over? I'm in denial and using a planner from 2015 that was too pretty to throw away unused. Will be confused about which day of the week it is for the whole year, but it's probably worth it anyway.

After a very hectic and kind of restless December, January is much more relaxing. I'm back on Jeju after having been away for over a month - don't misunderstand, I love traveling! Switzerland, Paris, Seoul, it was wonderful to be there, but traveling with all my art supplies and several commissions that have to be crammed in while catching up with all my friends and family is always tiring me out.

Yeah, yeah, as if eating and playing around was hard.

Also, my luggage was the strangest beast ever, with a mixture of interior design objects we bought on sale in Switzerland to take to Jeju, gifts from the Korean family to the Swiss family and the other way 'round, the mentioned art supplies, A2 paper, all sorts of food we can't find in Korea and absolutely had to stuff in (who doesn't want goat cheese in their handbag?) aaaand Christmas gifts aaaaaaand cookies from two grandmothers aaaaaaaaaaaand (for the trip from Seoul to Jeju) a CAT.

You talkin' about me? Miaow!

As for traveling:

It looks so peaceful...

... and beautiful...

...with food everywhere.

Everywhere, I said.

With a coffee here and there to change things up.

Food again. (Fondue!)

... You get the drift.

Rant over. I'm so glad to be home and a lazy bum again.

Like this.

As for blogging new year resolutions: I'm very motivated and very intimidated at the same time, haha!

On the beauty front, there are a lot of reviews lined up - especially for some of the newer makeup releases in Korea. Also, I FINALLY own a mirror that isn't a handmirror, so I can now use both hands for applying makeup and everything has gotten a lot less shaky, which makes me want to up my skills and maybe even do some tutorials. As if anyone could learn anything from me.

It's a game-changer.

On the art front:

I've started and finished a variety of things last year. 2015 was a turning point in my 'career', if you can even call it that. I'd done commissions before, but had mostly worked as a Manga artist since my first year of art school. While it was so fulfilling and fun to work on books, it also consumed all of my drawing time and while I have, by now, several books under my belt, I'm still a relative newbie to the whole 'freelancing' thing.

... a deserved (??) art haul
Seoul has the best art stores. My favorite paper!

After finishing my last book in spring 2015, I wanted to try something new. I started working as a freelance illustrator, accepting odd illustration jobs - and slowly, out of those, came projects and art styles I really grew to love. Children's picture books. Makeup illustrations. Blogging as a whole.

One of the makeup illustrations I enjoyed the most! Flatlay feelings!

And a LOT of freedom, all of a sudden. I didn't have to spend every day working on a seemingly never-ending number of comic pages. There were less creative decisions I had to wrack my mind with. I had time to meet friends, to eat dinner with my husband, to study up on my Korean. I even got a cat - something I could never have imagined while drawing comics, which are just too all-consuming.

My ONLINE SHOP is open again, too. So if you don't want custom illustrations,
there's prints and stickers and mirrors....

Of course, I miss it anyway. If 2016 brings me another opportunity to work as an author or manga artist, I'll grab it very, very tightly. I just don't feel quite ready to dive into it head-first all over again, as there are too many other things I love dearly and wouldn't want to sacrifice.

For the moment, I'll continue doing illustrations for smaller and larger companies (some stuff I can never even show you here because it's either copyrighted or would bore you to tears) and hopefully expand on my whole makeup artwork thingy I've got going on here!

You can find my commission rates for social media illustrations (icons, brand logos, personalized blog headers or youtube banners) and portraits in the custom art section of my Etsy shop.

Thank you for reading this very random, picture-heavy and kind of useless blogpost. I wanted to ramble a bit before getting my serious face on for the next year! Hope you have a great 2016 ahead of you!