Sparkle Eyes: Review of G9SKIN Pink Blur Hydrogel Eyepatches

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Has it really been since the middle of November that I last blogged? Shit. Well, I have the excuse that I moved (AGAIN) from Texas to southern California during that time, and then there were the holidays, but really I just hadn't been feeling as motivated and creative as I could have been. Today I actually felt like writing a blog post again, so here we are. I hope the impulse will continue!

I'm reviewing a type of product, gel eye patches soaked in essence, that is new to me, but is probably very familiar to K-beauty veterans. Patches that stick below your eyes aren't actually a new invention, and they're not strictly Asian in origin. I had these squishy patches from Klorane at least a decade ago, though they aren't drenched in liquid, and they cost more for just seven pairs than for the entire jar I'm reviewing here.

I picked these up because the change in environment between the Midwest and Texas seemed to be making the sunken area under my eyes more pronounced, and I wanted to see if I could plump it up a bit. (See my misguided attempt to use The Ordinary's serum here.) There are a number of eye masks or patches that claim to help with this sort of thing, but the G9 Skin Pink Blur Hydrogel Patches had the combined advantages of only costing about $15 for a jar of 120 (!) and being available from Amazon. (Possibly cheaper elsewhere, so shop around.)

As you can see, you get a well-sealed jar with a little spatula, and it's full of soupy essence. There are two different sizes of patches, so you can take your pick--or use the big ones below your eye and the small ones on your upper eyelid. The patches are gelatinous and very slippery, so you definitely need the spatula to scoop them out. They are sparkly and mesmerizing, but the glitter is part of the patches themselves, so it doesn't transfer to your skin (unfortunately?).

Here's how it looks on my face:

Since the patches are so wet, they tend to slide around a bit. I've had the best luck with them if I lie down on my back while they're on, but they still require occasional adjustment. (I've read some reviews of these things that claim they are very dry, which, as you can see from the photo above, isn't at all the case with my jar. Quality control issues?) Other than being slimy and wiggly and a little creepy-feeling, I find these patches comfortable. They don't irritate my skin or eyes. I leave them on for 20-30 minutes as recommended, and then remove them and pat or rub in the little bit of fluid that's left behind. I tend to add another moisturizer on top after everything has absorbed.

While these patches contain "8 kinds of berries" low on the ingredients list, which are supposed to brighten and "revitalize," the star ingredient here is really the glycerin. Glycerin is an excellent humectant, which can attract and hold moisture in the skin. That's really what you need for a plumping effect. (You can read the full list on CosDNA.)

Here's my under-eye area before and after using the patches for about 25 minutes. Apologies for the grainy photos, but this is the kind of thing I tend to do indoors at night, so I tried to at least get consistent lighting.

Before:

After:

Can you tell a difference? I think there is an ever-so-slight improvement in the lines under my eyes, which could result from the plumping effects of extra moisture. I will say that the skin does feel a bit bouncier and moister after using them, but all these effects are temporary, of course. They don't do anything for my dark circles, naturally--only concealer will help those.

Do you need these? I think if you have a moisturizer that you like using around your eyes, these patches aren't going to do a whole lot more. They are fun, though, and since they do some good and no harm, I've been enjoying them. And I have so many left that they're going to last a very, very long time.

Do you use any special products on your undereyes, or are you of the camp that anything that's good enough for the rest of your face is good enough for them too?

Zit Magic: Review of COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches

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Things have been a little slow here on the ol' blargh. I'm going to try to post more frequently, but in case you haven't noticed, when I don't have time to write blog posts I tend to post more frequently on Instagram since I can put something up quickly on the bus or during my lunch break. Last week I posted a couple of new things I've been trying, which I'll review here more thoroughly eventually. (If you aren't an Instagram user, you can still view these posts in your browser.)

Today I am reviewing a type of product that will be nothing new at all to many of you--but I'm guessing there are still some people out there who, like me, are late to the game and haven't discovered these magical pimple patches yet. They are most definitely one of the best skin discoveries I've made in the past year. I had them sitting on my Amazon shopping list for a very long time before I finally got around to buying any, and I wish I'd tried them sooner.

The COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches are thin, round, hydrocolloid bandages. They come in three sizes, and they look like this:

Lab Muffin has a great post explaining in detail how hydrocolloid patches work, but essentially what they do is absorb fluids. You stick one of these things on top of a pimple, and it sucks the goo out and dries it up. Sure, you could just squeeze your zits, but you risk doing damage to your skin that way, and there's also a good chance that they will just get infected again. These patches will not only soak up the crud, they will serve as a protective layer to prevent more bacteria from getting in there.

There are limitations to what they can do. Patches won't work very well on those deep, underground, cystic pimples that many of us get, especially on our chins. The fluid needs to be closer to the surface. Basically, my rule is that if it looks like I might possibly be able to squeeze it, I'll put a patch on it. If I definitely couldn't, I'll just dab some tea tree oil on the spot and see what happens.

Also, you need to have clean, dry skin before sticking a patch on, or it will absorb things other than your zit goo and/or not adhere properly. Besides, you don't want to cover up a dirty pimple and seal a bunch of bacteria in there. Because they have to be applied to freshly cleansed skin, it can be tricky to apply moisturizers or other products on top of them. If you rub everything around too much, your products can make their way underneath the patch and cause it to start lifting. I've found that if I just sort of pat products on the area of my face where I've stuck a patch, that problem is avoided.

I only use these things at night, but the COSRX patches are thin and translucent enough that you might be comfortable using them during the day. I'd just prefer not. I apply them as needed before bed, and they feel like nothing on my face. When I wake up in the morning, the patch has turned white and swelled up in the center where it has absorbed fluid. It's really disgustingly satisfying. My perverse fascination with these patches has all but replaced my perverse fascination with popping zits. So that's good.

After I remove the patch, the pimple usually feels pretty dry on the surface. Most of the time, it takes a couple of nights to clean out a zit completely, and then I'm just left with a red spot that takes the usual amount of time to fade. I don't know about you, but that's much faster than any spot treatment product I've used before.

There are other brands of acne patches out there, the most well known probably being Nexcare. I've also tried Nexcare's, and while they worked, there are a few things I prefer about the COSRX patches. For one, the COSRX version is more translucent and thinner. That means that they are not only less conspicuous, but they are less likely to come off during the night, since they don't have thick edges that rub against my pillow. I've read some reviews that said the Nexcare patches absorb more fluid than the COSRX patches, but I didn't notice any difference. Since they are close to the same price, you might want to try them both and see which you prefer.

Another option is just to buy a larger hydrocolloid bandage meant for healing blisters and cut it up to make your own patches. I haven't tried this method myself, but you might be able to save a little money that way, and they're easier to find in US drugstores than acne patches, which you might have to order online.

The first couple of packs of COSRX patches I bought were ordered from Amazon with Prime shipping for about $5 each. Once I decided that I was hooked, I sprung for 10 packs for $24, making each one significantly cheaper. They still have free shipping, but since they ship from Korea, they take a couple of weeks to get here. (You can also get them with Prime shipping for $29.)

If you've been curious about these patches, I totally encourage you to give them a shot! They are both effective and mesmerizingly gross, so you really can't lose.

This is the only product I've tried so far from the Korean brand COSRX. I've heard good things about other products, like their honey moisturizer, and I would love your recommendations if you're a fan of the brand.

By the way, if you want a chance to try these patches for free, I'm currently holding a giveaway on Instagram, which includes a pack of COSRX patches along with a whole bunch of makeup. You don't need an Instagram account to enter, but you can find the details here.

Lots of K-Beauty on HauteLook today (up to 55% off)

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Supposed to be up to 55% off (but maybe some of you know if these things can be found cheaper elsewhere). Brands include Club Clio, Peri Pera, Soo Ae, Goodal, and Freeset. I kind of want to try the Donkey Milk masks only because Cleopatra and other famously rich and beautiful ancient women used ass's milk in their skin care routines--and some of the ingredients they used seem to have been actually pretty effective. I'll write about that one of these days on my other blog. According to the packaging, donkey's milk has a lot of Omega 6, but I've never researched the purpose or effectiveness of Omega 6 in skin care.

(GUESS WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE GRADING RIGHT NOW STILL.)

Do I Need This? Overnight Masks or Sleeping Packs

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Welcome to the latest installment of my Do I Need This? series. In these posts, I offer my experience and opinion about whether or not I think a product or technique is worth it. Obviously, you don't really need ANY beauty products, so the answer to the question is always going to be no, to some extent. But is it going to change your life (or face)? Is it going to make things easier? Are you going to notice any difference at all? That's what I'm getting at. You may disagree with my verdict, because we all have different bodies/faces/brains/desires, but I'll try to offer a starting point, at least.

Masks are having a moment. There are masks out there that claim to do just about anything you could possibly want. They come in creams and clays and sheets and gels and who knows what else. There are even masks for your hair and lips and various other body parts. One of the types of masks that brands are really pumping out right now is the overnight mask, also called a sleeping mask or sleeping pack--the latter especially from Asian skincare brands.

Do you need a sleeping mask?

Short answer: No. There are some nice ones out there, but you probably already have products that you can use in a similar way.

Sunscreen on a Cloudy Day: Review of Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++

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It's very gloomy outside today, which seems like an odd time to review sunscreen--but I wear it every day, since UV rays easily pass through clouds. I have no problem doing certain things that are supposed to be "bad" for my skin in terms of aging, like sleeping (partially) face down or rubbing my eyes, but I got into the habit of wearing sunscreen on my face and neck on a daily basis in my early 20s, so it's become routine by now.

For the past few years, my favorite facial sunscreen has been Kinesys Alcohol-free SPF 30, which I reviewed here. I still like it a lot, and you can read why in that review, but to summarize, these are the things I look for in a good sunscreen: SPF 30 or higher, doesn't cause breakouts, doesn't burn or sting even around my eyes, doesn't smear or feel greasy, and doesn't cause any problems when applied over skincare products or under makeup.

In early August, I was running out of my Kinesys sunscreen, but I was also in between jobs and wanted to try something a little less expensive. I'd seen a recommendation for the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel SPF 50+ PA++++ somewhere or other, and since it was only about $8 on Amazon, I decided to give it a shot. Luckily, I wasn't completely out of my old sunscreen, because it took about 3 weeks for the Biore sunscreen to be delivered, since it shipped from Japan. But it came with a cute cat sticker, so the wait was worth it, clearly.

A photo posted by Lyn (brutally honest beauty) (@brutallyhonestbeauty) on Aug 23, 2016 at 10:49am PDT

I've been using this stuff since September, and I really like it. You can read the ingredients list here, but I'll point out three things: it contains both chemical and mineral sunscreen ingredients; alcohol is the third ingredient in the list; and it is scented with citrus essential oils. If you prefer to avoid alcohol and fragrance, then you might not like this. (That used to be me, by the way, but I've become less militant about these things over time.) It has a sugared orange scent that lasts for a few minutes after application. I'm often annoyed by fragrances in skincare and base makeup, but this particular scent doesn't bother me--though my cat hates it, for whatever that's worth.

Unlike most sunscreens I've used (which have been from Western brands), this stuff is not greasy at all--it feels, as the name would suggest, watery. It's thin and, because the alcohol evaporates quickly and leaves you with a smooth, dry finish, you have to apply it quickly. I am used to having lots of time to spread sunscreen around my face sunscreen because of how slippery it is, but this fluid works differently, so I had to adapt my method a bit. Here's how it looks, milky and runny:

That's about how much I typically use on my face, though sometimes I add a bit more to be sure the skin around my eyes and other vulnerable places is sufficiently covered. It might not be quite the 1/4 teaspoon that's recommended, but since it's SPF 50, I still feel like I am getting decent protection. (This recent post from Lab Muffin explains how you can get more protection even if you use less of a higher SPF, which sounds like common sense, but hadn't been thought to be the case until recently.)

Even though it contains fragrance, alcohol, and chemical sunscreen, I haven't experienced any burning or stinging. The thin consistency and dry finish means that it works well under makeup. (I've read reviews that say it doesn't, but I've tried all sorts of liquid, cream, and powder products over it without any problems.) In fact, it has a bit of a mattifying effect and some oil control properties--again, probably because there is so much alcohol in it. This effect is a welcome one for my oily-combination skin, but I can imagine that it might not be ideal for dry skin. I haven't experienced any excessive dryness, however.

I'm a fan, and I'm considering replacing this when it runs out instead of buying the Kinesys spray again, though I'm curious to see how long the bottle lasts me (I usually get almost a year out of the Kinesys) and how it feels in the winter when my skin is drier.

If you're interested in the Bioré Watery Gel, I think it would work best for normal to oily skin. If you're not comfortable with a lot of alcohol or fragrance, then you should probably skip it. The Kinesys sunscreen I was using before doesn't contain either of those things.

Do you use an Asian sunscreen? Are there others you would recommend I try when this one runs out?