Marissa's Pick of the Week - Lioele Pore Clean & Tightening Pack

A couple weeks ago Promise Phan (one of the most talented makeup gurus on YouTube) posted a link to http://prettyandcute.com/ on Facebook. There, I discovered a magical brand of Korean cosmetics called Lioele. It's a fairly new company whose business model is the Cinderella story (evident in their packaging). Lioele believes that true beauty can be found in everyone.

Lately, I've been seeing pores that I never saw before.
"Great," I said. "I'm aging."

Thus began the search for pore shrinking skincare products that wouldn't dry me out in the winter. On the Pretty and Cute website, I saw the Pore Clean & Tightening Pack ($20). The picture showed 2 tubes so I thought,
"This looks interesting. It's like a 2-step pore tightening system."
Well I was wrong. Only 1 box came. So then I thought,
"Okay? So maybe it's like a gel peel or something."
Wrong again.
What it actually is, is a mask. Yup. Just a mask. I was really disappointed, but then I tried it.

The clay mask was a dark gray color that had the same consistency as other masks I've used. It did have a distinct smell of leeks. Leeks aren't in the ingredients, but I don't know what else to compare it to. It was very fresh, crisp, and green smelling. Not quite grass. Not quite celery. just plant like.

Here is a list of some ingredients and what it's supposed to do:

During application, the scent of the mask started to calm me. I was liking it more and more. When it started to dry, I could feel it going to work. It felt almost as if there were little suction cups sucking all the crap out of my face. It didn't hurt or feel itchy like some other masks do.

(Ever wonder what your skin would look like when you're 80?)

Rinsing off the mask was easier than other masks. I didn't have to scrub or rub it off. My skin felt really smooth and soft. I didn't feel any film or oils or anything at all, just my skin. Even though it felt clean, it wasn't squeaky and tight. I could easily glide my finger across my cheeks without skipping. It's hard to explain. My skin just had a nice slip to it without being slippery? My skin looked brighter and more radiant.

Here's how I knew it worked:

After I completed the process, I noticed a little blackhead and blemish that I didn't have before. 

Here's a tip- If you use a deep cleansing mask for the first time and you don't have any new blackheads or blemishes, then it's probably not working all that well.

In the end, I really liked this mask. I would have never tried it, if it wasn't for the misleading picture and mysterious lack of info on the website. I already have a couple masks that I like, but this mask is definitely a favorite. It's fresh, gave great results, and is perfect for my acne prone skin that turns dry in the winter. *Two thumbs up*

Marissa's Pick of the Week- Asian Beauty

Yes. My pick this week is a book, but not just any book. What I have chosen for you is the best beauty book I have read so far. This includes books by Bobbi Brown, and The African American Women's Guide to Successful Makeup by Alfred Fornay. Not only is this a great reference for makeup application techniques, but it also has suggested skin care regimens, beauty tool knowledge and lifestyle recommendations for better looking skin.

Margaret Kimura (pictured right) has finally put a guide out into the world that focuses on the unique texture, skin tone and features of the Asian Woman in her book, Asian Beauty ($30). Her book models range from Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Korean to Indian, Filipino, Malaysian, and mixed races. Other ethnicities can benefit from this book, as her techniques have been used on hundreds of people in Hollywood and skin care tips are universal. Known as the "Blending Queen" in the makeup artist industry, her book is 210 pages of how to achieve a smooth, natural looking complexion to build the perfect canvas for color.

Check it out at the library first. Chances are, you'll want to buy it. It also makes a beautiful coffee table book at the very least.

Amazing Artists: Michelle Phan

Michelle Phan is my hero! With over a million hits on YouTube, Lancome has just made her the official video makeup artist for the company. Phan has amazing application skills that range from basic enhancement to complete transformation. Among my favorite tutorials are the Lady Gaga Bad Romance Look, the Sailor Moon Transformation and Lunar New Year Tiger Eyes. If you are an aspiring makeup artist, or just love makeup, you have to subscribe to her YouTube Channel. You can also see some of her video tutorials on Lancome's website.