New Year Nails

New Years Eve is a time to sparkle so let your nails do that for you! Forgotten to get a manicure? Too busy preparing a party to devote  the time? Well I may have the answer! Glitter nail polishes have been big in Korea for a while. Most of the Korean cosmetic houses have a wide selection of colours making it easy to find a colour to suit you or your outfit! Choosing a colour is the hardest part! This style of polish is great for on the go as there is no need to be precise. Depending on what type of glitter polish you go for, you can apply as much or as little as you want and be out of the door before you can say 'Happy New Year!' Below are a few of my favourites I have discovered!

The first I found were from Innisfree (2,500 Krw) and are probably my favourites so far. I have two shades in Gold and Dusky Pink. No precision needed with these, in fact the more haphazard you apply the better! They do tend to peel easily but because of the glitter you can just dab over the chip and it blends in! These will be fabulous for the festive season as they really sparkle! Make sure you finish with a top coat for staying power!

The next selection of nail polishes I came across are from the Modi Glam nails collection at Atritaum.  The glitter particles are smaller than the ones from Innisfree, so more time will be needed when applying. Some of the polishes already have a colour combined with them which gives them a subtle hint of glitter. Also makes them a good nail polish when in a rush!

Finally, the only downside I have to these polishes is they are very difficult to remove. The glitter tends to stick! I found this nail polish remover from Aritaum. It has been created especially for removing a glitter manicure. This stuff is very powerful but has Calcium extract to give your nails some strength. I would still recommend using a nourishing hand cream after. 

I hope everyone has a fantastic New Year's with a bit of sparkle!

Hard Water Hair

It's taken me a while to realise that my hair has taken a nose dive since moving out here. After process of elimination I came to the conclusion it was the water out here. I did some research and discovered that Korea has incredibly hard water, which has a massive impact of hairs lustre and manageability. Hard water contains lots of minerals which leave a residue on your hair. Over time these gradually build up and leave hair knotty, dry and un- manageable.

The easiest way of tackling this problem is to use a clarifying shampoo that will detoxify your hair. Or you can use a rinse. I recently made my own rinse of white vinegar, lemon and tepid water. It worked a charm! Vinegar has many benefits for hair as it makes hair stronger and also closes the hair cuticle which causes hair to frizz. It can even help with an itchy or flaky scalp too.

You should never use vinegar without diluting first, and depending on your hair you should choose the type of vinegar wisely. Apple cider vinegar has the highest acidity level which means its not recommended for coloured hair as it can strip the colour. White vinegar is less acidic, my hair is coloured and I used a tablespoon mixed with 3 cups of bottled water. If your hair easily fades then I would recommend rice vinegar as its more gentle.

Shampoo your hair as normal and then use the rinse. If you have a flaky scalp or dandruff I would recommend adding some tea tree with the rinse to soothe (leave on for 10 minutes). My hair is blonde and I have highlights so I used white vinegar. I left it on for 5 minutes then followed with a nourishing conditioner. If you have normal/greasy hair I wouldn't use a conditioner after, as vinegar makes hair softer. Don't worry about the smell either it fades!

Because my hair is coloured and blondes have a hard time fighting the fade at the best of times, I decided to find a clarifying shampoo. Whilst doing my research, it seemed I needed to find one without acetic acid in as this is the main fiend in fading colour.

I regularly use strawberry net http://kr.strawberrynet.com/main.aspx which is an online cosmetic company that ships free to anywhere worldwide. It sells a wide range of cosmetics and perfumes and offers loyalty discounts the more you buy. Its been a great lifeline whilst living out here!

Whilst browsing the range of clarifying shampoos I came across Parisian brand, Phyto. After reading a few reviews and checking the ingredient list (It doesn't contain Acetic acid) I ordered it. It cost £12 which is around 20,000 KRW for 125 ml. I have used it twice and I'm already feeling the benefits. My hair is a lot more manageable and shiny! 

The shampoo contains plant extracts including witch hazel, chamomile and sage which gives it a strong menthol smell! Slightly different from the usual girly shampoo smell!  The only downside is It does make your hair feel incredibly dry after shampoooing, but as long as you use a nourishing conditioner the dryness fades and you are left without hard water hair!! Its recommend to use this weekly.

I will be hunting for a clarifying shampoo that's readily available in Korea over the next few weeks. Have you used a good product that combats hard water? If so let me no!

Mad for Mangoes!

I have recently discovered the Mango Seed facial butter after using a free sample from the Face Shop. This product has been raved about on Korean beauty blogs, and is selling fast with Girls Generation's Seohyun helping to promote it.

So what does it do? The face shop say that the butter is;

 "100% made from natural mango seeds. It's provides 36 hours of moisture, non drying wrinkle and radiance improvement."

It sells for 22,000 KRW and at the moment they have the set at the same price. Included in the set is a toner, lotion and a travel size facial butter pot.  All products are amazing, the smell and the texture make it feel like such a luxurious product. The butter comes with a little spatula so you can keep your pot hygienic.  I predict the full size pot will last a very long time as you only need the smallest amount of product to cover the face. It lives up to its butter name!

I have been using this for the past 2 weeks as a night cream. I have combination skin so I find the product a little greasy for day time use. However the mango moisturising lotion provides just the right kind of moisture for daytime use without leaving my skin greasy.

This product will be perfect for the dry winter months in Korea!

Innisfree Massage Pack Program

I am a huge fan of the face mask selections out here, so when I saw this display 

in Innisfree I became very excited. You can choose from a variety of pots all of them aiming to tackle different skin problems. The prices range from 1,500 Krw to 2,000 and I was told each pot should give you 3 masks. I chose the Nutmeg and Tea tree pot to treat problem skin, and will post a review once I've used it!

Rainbow Selection!

Étude House - Dear My Blooming Lip Talk

I discovered this lipstick collection whilst looking for a cheaper alternative to MAC. I bought two, a deep red in RD302 and a coral shade OR203. None of them disappointed! The lipstick is semi-sheer providing moisture whilst still maintaining a solid colour. Both of them give a smooth application and the red shade glided on. I needed to re apply often with the coral shade, the red stayed put a lot longer. I would recommend using a lip primer to enhance the staying power! They are 8,500 Krw per lipstick making them a bargain. As usual Étude house didn't disappoint on the packaging making them a nice treat for your makeup bag!

Welcome to Fair Face!

 I decided to begin this blog as a reference point for waygooks like myself, as my first experiences of beauty shopping in Korea were very baffling! I have lived in Korea for two years, and have fallen in love with the Korean beauty market.  It wasn't always this way and for the first few months I clung to my products from the UK, convinced everything out here had scary ingredients in! Slowly but surely I ventured out exploring new things, some amazing some not so! I will be posting information on products along with my honest opinions and useful tips. This is also a place to share, so if you have a product you have discovered, and want to give your opinion then feel free to email me and I'll post!! 

Happy discovering!!

xx