Review: My Beauty Diary Southern France Apricot Mask

Wheee....more My Beauty Diary~ This was a very scrumptious smelling mask.  This and the MBD Yogurt mask (though I didn't like it that much) are two of the yummiest smelling MBD masks. Though I must admit the yummiEST smelling mask to me is still the Silk Whitia Soy Milk Whitening mask...it smells like delectable cake ^_^;;

Purchased at: BonjourHK ($9.70) or Sasa ($12.10)

Description:

My Beauty Diary Southern France Apricot Mask softens, smooths and highly moisturizes the skin. Apricot extract from southern France provides excellent moisturizing effect. It quenches the thirst of skin, leaving dry skin keenly comfortable. The skin surface will be inscrutably velvety to the touch.  Added with extracts of highly moisturizing grain, such as oat, job's tears and hydrolyzed rice protein, it gives more in-depth nourishing and nursing effect to dry skin. The stratum corneum is fully soaked in moisturizing ingredients. It maintains skin’s suppleness, elasticity, fairness and clearness.

Suitable for: It is suitable for normal skin. It is especially recommended for dry skin and combination skin that tends towards dryness.

I had to increase the saturation to make the silvery text show :P 

As cute as MBD packages are, the shiny packaging is a pain to photograph ><

Experience: The scent was lovely from the moment I opened the package. A very sweet, apricot scent.  There was a mild cooling effect and the experience was very nice.  I think the soothing, pleasing scent had a lot to do with that.  After removing the mask my face felt refreshed, looked brighter, and was more hydrated.  Redness was generally down and I have never experienced any irritation.  Downside is that the effects of this mask aren't as obvious compared to the MBD Apple Polyphenol mask.  I dunno what it is but the Apple Polyphenol always gives my face this incandescent glow (I reckon from the mildly exfoliating effect of the mask).

The envelope packaging is a little blah - I think it's the pre-2010 packaging.

Overall
Fit: After a bit of research, word has it MBD updated the material and cut of their masks (though the ingredients/formula are unchanged) in 2010.  For me personally, post-2010 masks, which are thinner and cut with a lot of forehead space ^^ are the ideal fit for me.  I believe the Yogurt mask I tried was manufactured pre-2010 and was an awful fit.

Scent: Exactly as you'd expect. Like a sweetly spiced apricot. Very pleasing and mild.

Mask texture: Thin and silky.  Sticks well to your face a holds a lot of serum.

Excess serum: A dime sized amount as does most masks from the MBD Natural Key line have.

Claims: Soften, smooth, moisturize/suppleness, elasticity, fairness and clearness. <-- I would say this mask does everything it claims.  My face always feels softer, plumped (smooth), and more moisturized afterward.   

Overall Results: Definitely solidly in the category of masks that are good but not fantastic.  I'm not positive if I'd buy it again but it's something I would definitely recommend others try if they are interested in trying a couple MBD masks.  It's very gentle, smells excellent, feels good, and there was no irritation.  There was a slight cooling effect as well.  I would give this a solid 7/10.  If it were more of a unique mask and the results were startlingly good, I'd rate it higher. However, it does everything it promises so I can't complain too much :)

Review: My Beauty Diary Cooling Mask

I actually first tried this mask in a swap I did with Elisa and I'm so glad that she sent me this one to try  because I really liked it!  I got another box of 10 because I liked it so much and it's absolutely perfect for summer.

Purchased at: BonjourHK

Price: $9.70/10 masks

Description: My Beauty Diary Cooling Mask is enriched with cooling ingredient to wake up fatigued skin and restore skin radiance by boosting metabolism.  Marigold Extract is an ideal soothing treatment for skin damaged by UV rays. Skin is comforted and refreshed.  Perfect blend of green tea extract and ginkgo extract works to leave skin watery and translucent, while Hyaluronic Acid and elder extract intensively pour moisture into skin. 

Suitable for: For all skin types, particularly for fatigued skin or skin damaged by UV rays.

Experience: Scent was a little stronger than usual (not that strong though) and had the sharp edge of witch hazel and calendula (both are pretty pungent in their natural form).  Even though this mask does have menthol and peppermint in it, it smells more like witch hazel and calendula.  When I first put it on my face, it wasn't that cool but after 1-2 minutes it got suddenly much cooler.  I haven't had such an extreme cooling effect since the Skinfood Vita-A Gel Mask (still one of my fav masks).   It lasted for over 10 minutes and felt really, really good.  When I removed the mask my face was brighter, smoother, and refreshed.  It also made me feel more awake ^_^  I wouldn't say it was the most hydrating mask ever but my skin was still decently moisturized.  I have no complaints and my face felt very plumper, smoother, and awake.  Fyi calendula and witch hazel are great for acne-prone skin (though witch hazel can be a bit drying).

Overall
Fit: Quite good, like all post-2010 MBD masks :)  Perfect for me.

Scent: Witch hazel-calendula-ish with a hint of peppermint.  Very fresh and clean smelling.

Mask texture: Silky, thin, and smooth.

Excess serum: A little nickel-sized scoop.

Claims:

Soothes skin <-- Yep. Especially if you have slight sunburn. Fyi, if you get a BAD sunburn (ei your skin is peeling) this might sting a bit - I don't know for sure but witch hazel can sting if your skin sometimes.  In any case, for mild sunburns, blotchy skin, and skin irritations will be soothed beautifully.

Lowers skin temperature <-- YES.  Works like a charm.

Softens skin <-- Face feels plumper.

Nourishes and moisturizes skin <-- It's not the most moisturizing mask ever but then this is a cooling mask not a moisturizing one necessarily.  It's not drying and that's the important thing.  

Overall Results: With summer right around the corner, this mask is going to be perfect.  I really like this mask because it's so refreshing. The scent isn't absolutely amazing but it's tolerable and not bad at all.  I highly recommend this mask especially with summer coming up and I've already repurchased a whole box so you know where I stand :)

Review: My Beauty Diary Yogurt Mask

ARGHHHH wtf blogger.  It "unblogged" this review (I had it posted a few days ago), wiped all the comments, and I had to retype the whole review because it was re-saved as the draft I wrote a month ago.  *&$*(@ Blogger has been such a pain lately with the buggy image uploader, posting limitation, and now "unblogging" of posts. Oh for chrissake.  Not to mention, I was browsing and commenting on blogs for the last 2-3 days and I noticed NONE of my comments ever got posted - then I heard from blogger that comments from the last few days were being lost *sigh*  So yeah, if my wording in this review is very short and impatient sounding it's because this is my 2nd time writing it -_-

Control oil and repair skin: Yogurt extracts deeply nourish skin and keeps skin watery and shine-free.

Tannins extracted from Witch Hazel, Birchwood and walnut soothes and moisturizes skin.

Hydrate skin: Hyaluronic acid extracted by biological technology prevents water loss and provides deep hydration.

Amazing Nanospheres Technology: Structured with plenty of tiny holes, it enhances absorption of nourishment, leaving skin moisturized.

Purchased at: Sasa - it's OOS right now though.

Price: $2.00/for a pack of 2 masks = $1.00/each (cheapest price I've paid for 1 mask yet :D)!

It was kind of cool getting a mini-box of masks.  It's a really nice way to try a mask out more than once yet without getting stuck with a box of 10 if you end up not liking the mask. 

Packaging: MBD Natural Key line packaging isn't very ornate to begin with but this Yogurt mask was simple to the point of being...boring :\  Not hugely important but surely they could have embossed something more than just silver lines :P

Suitable for: Oily and acne skin / combination skin.

Directions: Put the mask on cleansed and toned face. Leave it for 20-30 minutes and peel off. If some serum is left, gently massage for better absorption. No rinsing is necessary. Followed by usual skin care products.

Overall

Left: MBD Yogurt mask Right: MBD Mixed Berry mask

Fit: VERY STRANGE.  This mask had six slits, the eye holes were larger, and the nose hole was shorter.  All the previous MBD masks I have tried have been like the one on the right, with two slits around the chin with large forehead space.  This MBD Yogurt mask did not fit my face shape very well at all :(

I actually wondered if this mask was a fake but I bought it from Sasa which is pretty legit (right?) and the packaging seemed pretty good...it had none of the fake giveaways like printed expiration dates, crooked slits on the envelope etc.

It seems to be the real thing though... If anyone knows what's up with these MBD masks let me know.

Scent: Vanilla yogurt.  Very delicious scent.

Left: MBD Yogurt mask Right: MBD Mixed Berry mask

Mask texture: This mask was exceptionally thick and cloth-y compared to previous MBD I've used.  I did NOT like it because it refused to stick to my face very well.  The flaps kept coming off :(   I much prefer the thinner MBD masks.

Excess serum: A quarter-sized amount. Typical for the MBD Natural Key line.

Claims:

Control oil and repair skin: Yogurt extracts deeply nourish skin and keeps skin watery and shine-free. <-- I will never get used to the Asian love of describing nice skin as "watery" aka hydrated -__-

Tannins extracted from Witch Hazel, Birchwood and walnut soothes and moisturizes skin. <-- even though I experienced itching, in the end my face did look brighter and soothed.  I don't feel like this was very moisturizing though. It wasn't drying per se but it was not as hydrating as other masks I've tried.

Hydrate skin: Hyaluronic acid extracted by biological technology prevents water loss and provides deep hydration. <-- Definitely no on the "deep hydration"

Amazing Nanospheres Technology: Structured with plenty of tiny holes, it enhances absorption of nourishment, leaving skin moisturized. <-- "nanospehere technology" aka paper that has tiny holes in it to hold the serum -_-;; 

Experience:  Loved the scent when I opened the packet - sweet vanilla yogurt.  My face itched at first and there was no cooling effect.  After 5 minutes the itching went away and once I removed mask my face felt extreamly "clean" and refreshed somehow.  A con: the mask left about 1-2 inches of my forehead bare (big forehead heehe).   After using the mask, the remaining essence was quickly absorbed into the skin with just a few seconds of massaging your face, and it’s not sticky at all.  My face was startlingly brighter - almost to paleness and redness was way down and I experienced no irritation despite the initial itching.  The first time I forgot to moisturize and my skin was a tad dry in the morning so it was not very hydrating. You definitely need to moistuize afterwards.  Nonetheless, even though my face was a tad dry, redness was way down and my skintone was remarkably even.  The effect is enough that I noticed it (which is saying something as use a lot of sheet masks).  Only con is that it's a little drying and I get a mild itching the first 10-15 minutes I put it on.

Unfortunately, the second time I used the mask (I itched again), the next day I noticed that 2 pimples had popped up on my face.  I am not sure if the mask caused the pimples or they were just under my skin already :P  I guess this means that this mask doesn't "prevent" pimples though ^_^ My skin did look brighter, however, and my skin felt quite smooth.

Overall results: This mask smells faintly of sweet milk, nothing too intrusive. I liked the scent a lot.  I hated the odd thickness of the mask though.  Even though it was well absorbed with essence (so none of that gooey essence dripping down your neck) it did not fit my face well.  I used this mask consecutively for 2 nights, and each morning I woke up to fresh skin, no oil slick in my T-zone; dry peeps will definitely need to moisturize though. Blemishes and blotchiness are also reduced.  The reason I will NOT re-purchase, despite the good results, is that I got two pimples on the 3rd day and the fit of the mask.  Given I am not sure if the pimples were already "ready to come up" and if this box of masks was a fluke in terms of shape, but those two things ruined the overall experience for me.  Yogurt is supposed to be good for people with acne-prone skin but I think you would be safer using "real" yogurt, not this mask.  I can't really recommend this mask overall :(  There are definitely better masks out there.

Review: My Beauty Diary Damask Rose Mask

Whee~ here's the last Blooming of Beauty mask I've tried.  It's probably my second favorite of the three, but in terms of uniqueness...it's my #1 :)   And to respond to Joyce, yessss I got the maximum of 7 Zoya polishes (aka I got 14) from the Zoya BOGO promo!  I spent so much I even qualified for free shipping -_- but ultimately, 14 polishes for $56 =  $4/polish w00t!  I plead temporary insanity but lord knows I AM EXCITED.   I've heard a lot of complaints about the Sunshine collection's formula but I don't care, I love sparkles so I think I got all the colors except for Rica ^_^v  Overall, though I would say I've seen better collections - all three Zoya collections for Spring were so...dupable in some ways.  I dunno. For people who missed out, no worries.  Zoya does a lot of excellent promos, some are BOGO free on the entire website so this promo, in the big picture, was not actually all that great. Lastly, I've been wrapped up in a lot of stuff lately, hence the ever-so-slow updates and lack of blog-hopping/commenting :(

Purchased at: BonjourHK

Price: $7.60 USD/5 masks = $1.52/mask + S&H

Description: Brightening, moisturizing, improve skin radiance.

Suitable for: All skin types.

Experience: I was so excited about this whole "ice cream in a mask" idea.   When I opened the packet I got a whiff of a very sweet rose...if that makes any sense.   It was a pretty mild scent so even as a not-crazy-about-rose-scented-things person, I liked it.   Whilst I had on this mask, the experience was quite nice.  Nice fragrance, mask stuck on well, no irritation.  Afterward my face looked brighter and more radiant.  My face felt moisturized and all in all, it was a good spa-like experience.  Downside, I expected some kind of massive cooling effect (ice cream anyone?) and this mask was just cool when I initially put it on and that's it :\  In other words, it was only cool on my face for 5-10 minutes because ....it's just wet.  Given, redness did go down but regardless, I was looking for a cooling effect a la Skin Food Vita-A Gel mask.  Speaking of, I have yet to encounter a face mask as wonderfully cooling as those SF gel masks (they're a close contender for my #1 mask of all time actually ^_~).

Overall
Fit: Cut and size are identical to the MBD Natural Key line masks.  2 slits around the chin and as I've said 100x before, MBD masks happen to fit me perfectly so the fit was excellent.

Scent: A sugary sweet rose.  There's really no other way to describe it. Very mild and pleasant; tolerable to even those not nuts about rose scented things :)

Mask texture: Smooth, silky, very absorbent, a hair thinner than the regular MBD Natural Key line.

Excess serum: Mask itself is well drenched but there is only about dime sized amount of excess serum for your neck.

Claims: Brightening, moisturizing, improve skin radiance.  I would say this mask does all these things. It mostly temporarily brightens and improves radiance.  This mask is moisturizing, yes but it's not SO moisturizing I'd recommend this for dry skinned peeps.  As an oily skinned person though, this was just enough hydration.  In any case, if you're looking for moisturization in the Blooming of Beauty line, apparently the Sunflower mask is the way to go. Overall, I'd say this mask does what it claims to do.

Overall Results: Quite good, it does everything it promises and the experience of using it is always nice.  I have no significant complaints about it other than I wish it had an more tangible cooling effect to play into the ice cream theme.  That's just a nitpick though.  However, even though this mask is a good 8/10 at least, I probably would not repurchase this.  I say this because personally I have enjoyed other masks more and the price tag is too much for results I can get from (ever so slightly) cheaper masks. I literally use sheet masks at least every other day (minimum 3-4x a week) because they have made a huge difference for me.  I know this sounds like a nutty investment to others but it's what works for me.  Hence I need quite a large hoard of sheet masks to get me through the months and those few cents add up for me fast.   While the results of this mask were nice, I just happen to like other masks more (which I will discuss in my Uber-Ranking of Sheet Masks post... which I will finish soon, God willing).  This mask didn't blow me away by any means but I don't regret buying a box to try at all :) 

Overall, I do recommend people try this mask for themselves.  It's a fun, sweetly scented, gentle, effective mask.  Price isn't too bad at all either, very reasonable on BonjourHK.  Don't expect miracles, but it does the job~

Review: My Beauty Diary Japanese Hydrangea Mask

Part of the limited collection in celebration of the Taipei International Floral Expo, the Japanese Hydrangea mask soothes and comforts skin while providing remarkable oil control to keep skin matte and shine-free. 

Purchased at: BonjourHK

Price: $7.60/5 = $1.52/mask + S&H

Description: Oil control, soothing.

Suitable for: Best for combination and oily skin types.

Experience: First impression when I opened the packet - not good >_> I got a strong wave of something that reminded of black tea, a scent I'm not nuts about.  The mask texture and fit was good, as all the My Beauty Diary masks are.  Unfortunately, as many of you know, one thing I always look for in a mask is that "cooling factor."  This is important to me as "cooling" masks are vital to reducing redness and puffiness on my face, something I'm very prone too. In general, all sheet masks have at least a little bit of a cooling effect simply because you're putting something wet on your face. However, some masks have an extra cooling sensation and I don't think it's just in my head because certain masks feel exceptionally cool on my face (w/o refrigeration) and redness goes way down. Sadly, this mask is not one of those.  Initially, it was cool but I don't know if my face was reacting to one of the ingredients or what, but my face started getting rather warm after 10-15 minutes.   It didn't break me out or anything, but redness did not go down at all.  Usually face masks at least temporarily take the redness on my face down at least 90% but this one....my face just looked the same :\  I've tried this mask 3x so far on 3 consecutive days and I haven't been impressed by either the immediate or (slightly) long term results in terms of oil control.   

Overall
Fit: As all MBD masks, the mask fits me well and has 2 slits around the chin.

Scent: I admit that I don't know what Japanese Hydrangeas actually smell like :P but this mask smells - to me - of black tea.  Really strongly.  I don't like the smell and this is one of the reasons behind why I wouldn't repurchase this mask.

Texture: Mask texture is nice, smooth and almost silky.  Quite nice.

Excess serum: Mask is well-soaked but there is minimal excess serum in the packet for your neck etc. You can usually squeeze out a tiny handful, just enough for your neck but that's it.

Claims: Oil control, soothing.  I personally have not noticed much oil control improvement.  I used this mask three days in a row and there was no "oil reduction" on those three days or afterwards.  So...yeah.  As for soothing, not particularly.  It didn't irritate my skin per se but I didn't see any redness reduction at all :\

Overall Results: I'm a little surprised how ineffective this mask was on me since the MBD French White Lily and Damask Rose (coming up next!) masks were wonderful. Besides the fit and texture of the mask itself, there is nothing I really like about this mask.  It didn't soothe my face nor did I see any oil reduction.  And one thing I particularly despise when it comes to beauty products is when something doesn't do what it promises.  I don't expect something to fix every problem on my face but if a mask promises oil control, I should see some oil control.  Everybody's skin is different so it may just be me so don't let this review prevent you from trying it out if you like, but don't expect great things. On the upside, the packaging is just lovely isn't it ^0^?  I have to say I just adore the Blooming of Beauty packaging, it's so floral, feminine, yet not overdone.  Overall, I did not like the smell and this mask didn't do what it promised, so I would not repurchase or personally recommend it.

MBD correction + fun tags + movie trailers!

I'm slowly slogging through my face mask reviews but I have a lot on my mind these days so I just felt doing something more *lighthearted* :)

Speaking of face masks, I made a mistake on my MBD Blooming of Beauty Overview post, so I've updated that.  Basically, there are actually 9 masks in the series, not 6 >_>  The three masks I forgot to list are awfully expensive online because they're "rarer" for some reason - ugh... So I doubt I'll get to ever try them but I did want to let you guys know the proper information.  MBD has also just released ANOTHER (arghhhh!!) mask series called Tea Time this month, which Elisa posted about.  They sound effing delicious and now I want to try those too -_- However, I'm on a strict mask ban for the next 2-3 months though while I use the ones I have.  Also if I keep buying more sheet masks I'll never finish my sheet mask compilation video -_-

Nonetheless, I did find some places that are selling these rare MBD masks.  They're awfully expensive but these are literally the only 2 places that ship to the US that I've found so far.  So yeah...for people who can't resist:

• Buying in Taiwan Ebay Store: Selling the three Blooming of Beauty masks that aren't on BonjourHK website for $13/box.  Despite the fact this is literally 2x more expensive than what BonjourHK sells the Blooming of Beuty masks for ($7.60/box), this is the cheapest place I've found that ships to the US where you can try the Moroccan Rose, Pink Rockrose, and Mediterranean Orange Blossom masks.
• Zizizaza Ebay Store: Selling not just the Tea Time series ($17.25) but also the adorable MBD Hello Kitty Honey Milk and Strawberry Milk masks ($17.25).  The HK masks are 10/box so that's not as bad as the Tea Time series, which come 5/box.

Anyway,  I was pretty excited to have a chance to do the Handwriting Tag that's been going around Blogger lately :D Thank you Eve (Bella Chic) and Sue Lynn (Where I Can Be Deeply Superficial) for tagging me.

Get a piece of paper and write the answers to the following questions:

1. What's your name/your blogger name?
2. What's your blog's name/URL?
3. Write "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
4. Favorite quote?
5. Your Favorite song?

6. Your favorite band/singers?
7. Anything else you want to say?
8. Tag three to five other people.

Usually I write in a crash of cursive and print that is barely legible. This is my neat, tidy, "I'm gonna fool people into thinking I have nice handwriting" handwriting ;)

People I want to see handwritings of (b/c I'm a creeper ;) ):
Jess (Oh pretty!), Pop Champagne (I know you don't do tags but it doesn't stop me from flinging them at you ahah xD), Elisa, Rinny, Mara, Jess (Bubbles & Beauty), Fannie D, Susho, Beauty & the Scientist, Jennifer

And some new bloggers I've started following :D
Faye Lu of Faye Lu Review
Yelena Kim of Korea Through My Eyes <-- a Korean Russian living in Korea, among the few expat blogs I like reading
Choiii of Hooligan Choi
Magdalena of I Like Makeup
Lena of Mad, Bad, & Dangerous to Know <-- I've been following her for awhile so she's not a "new" blogger to me ^^
aki! of 7% Solution
And last but not least, one girl I keep forgetting to tag (I swear it's because we're both "Elle")...Elle of Bitter & Sweet.

Also I did a video tag over the weekend!

Here are the 15 Questions:
1. What do you think you can do but can't?
2. What's a difficult word for you to pronounce?
3. What is a favorite TV show from your childhood?
4. What are your virtues and vices?
5. What's more important: love, fame, power, or money?
6. If you could live in any era/time period, when would it be and why?
7. If you had to redo your entire wardrobe with 2 stores, what would they be and why?
8. Can you recall what you were doing a year ago on this day?
9. Do you have reoccurring dreams? If so, explain?
10. What's your horoscope?
11. What does your dream bedroom look like?
12. What position do you sleep in?
13. Who is your favorite vampire of all time?
14. What are you currently wearing on your feet?
15. Do you have neat handwriting? Show us!

I don't have the energy to tag more people but anyone willing to do this tag (especially via video!) be my guest :D yuuuup also Elisa tagged me for a pretty cool Childhood Pictures tag, which I'm looking forward to doing.  I love digging up old pictures but I am the epitome of someone who went through an ugly duckling phase so hmm...retinal scarring anyone ;)?  Now onto the second half of this post...

...I wanted to post some intriguing movie trailers that have caught my eyes in the past few weeks.  I'm one of those lazy bums who'd rather read recaps than watch a movie in a theater ^^ but I do love watching trailers. Does that even qualify as a hobby xD?

Award-winning director Joe Wright creates a boldly original suspense thriller with HANNA, starring Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones, Atonement) in the title role. Raised by her father (Eric Bana of Star Trek), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland, Hanna's upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative with secrets of her own (Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett). As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity. 

Hanna - I love movies about emo-bad-ass-chicks! The fact that this girl a young 'un with a traumatic past sounds somewhat stereotypical but the trailer reminds me a lot of the Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, which is good in my book.  That girl's cute as a button too, killer instinct and all.  I can totally see her being the next big Hollywood starlet, she has the intense look about her~  I have a feeling she's going to find out her target (Cate Blanchett) is her mom or something and there is some genetic "defect" that gives her amazing speed/intelligence, something like that.  Anyway, Eric Bana is smoking up the screen too *sigh* he's so fine ^^ so this is a movie I'm considering actually seeing on movie screen instead of reading the synopsis ehehe~

WHEN HARRY TRIES TO MARRY is a cross-cultural romantic comedy about a young Indian-born bachelor who lives in New York City. Harry's handsome and charming, but he's cynical about love. He's never really gotten over his parents' divorce -- they were a modern Indian couple who married for love and it didn't last. So to improve his odds of living "happily ever after," Harry decides to have an arranged marriage, and asks his uncle back home in India to assist him in arranging the introduction to an appropriate Indian woman. To the dismay of his parents and friends, Harry finds the perfect girl and embarks on a long-distance courtship. But unexpectedly, Harry's friendship with Theresa, a fun and sexy American student, becomes confusing, appealing -- and maybe a little bit romantic. Once Harry, his friends and the entire wedding party converge in India, Harry's plan to avoid romantic risk becomes a recipe for chaos. Can anyone protect themselves from a broken heart by leaving the passion out of marriage? And, when all is said and done, does Harry really want to?

When Harry Tries to Marry - The title reminds of "When Harry Met Sally" (I thought it was a sequel at first). In any case, the recent influx of Bollywood trailers on Apple is very intriguing!  This movie caught my eye because it has a k-drama flair with that unmistakable Bollywood signature to it.  Don't get me wrong - it's pretty obvious this won't be winning any Oscars xD but come on, who doesn't love BANGHRA ^^!? This trailer really drives home the reason why the Hallyu Wave reportedly even reached India - I see a lot of "East Asian" sensibilities in this trailer that I think K-poppers can relate to. What I particularly like about this trailer/storyline is that it has that uniquely Indian twist of arranged marriages.  We don't get that set-up in K-flicks/dramas (at least not quite so bluntly though Koreans do have a love of "dating contract" sort of things :P).  Also the premise of the dude "going traditional" in a modern world instead of "breaking free from tradition" is rather fresh if you think about it.  This approach is very relevant to not just Indians of this generation, but also all Asians.  Personally, I see so many second generation Asians "looking for their culture" after years of happily being a "Twinkie." I also like how this movie shows modern Indian culture as it exists today (aka the parents are divorced, they live in America, they're happily integrated in American society) and come on, the scenes in India look gorgeous.

Plus that dude (Rahul Rai) is kinda cute ;)  He doesn't seem to be a "good" actor per se (I say this as someone who judged only from the trailer) but there is something quite quirky and charming about him.  Bollywood is still rough around the edges when it comes to producing slick, mass-audience films that Hollywood has down to a fine art, but I already know Bollywood is going to invading Hollywood in the next decade or so and this promises to be a taste of how they might do modern rom-coms. Let's face it, we all know how the movie is going to end and the acting already looks a little awkward but it looks like an entertaining chick flick to me :D!

Inspired by the bestselling novel SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN by Lisa See, the film is a timeless portrait of female friendship. In 19th-century China, seven-year-old girls Snow Flower and Lily are matched as laotong - or "old sames" - bound together for eternity. Isolated by their families, they furtively communicate by taking turns writing in a secret language, nu shu, between the folds of a white silk fan. In a parallel story in present day Shanghai, the laotong's descendants, Nina and Sophia, struggle to maintain the intimacy of their own childhood friendship in the face of demanding careers, complicated love lives, and a relentlessly evolving Shanghai. Drawing on the lessons of the past, the two modern women must understand the story of their ancestral connection, hidden from them in the folds of the antique white silk fan, or risk losing one another forever. What unfolds are two stories, generations apart, but everlasting in their universal notion of love, hope and friendship.

Snow Flower & the Secret Fan - I read the book a couple years ago and I remember thinking of it as a quieter, rawer version of The Joy Luck Club, but I re-read the book again recently and it has a complexity to it I don't remember the first time around.  I definitely recommend the book, especially for people who've enjoyed "The Joy Luck Club" and "Memoirs of a Geisha."  Coincidentally, the director of this movie also directed "The Joy Luck Club" film version.   Interestingly, I get a distinct "Memoirs of a Geisha" film vibe from this movie instead, it has that shiny, expensive look to it.  I'm not sure how I feel about that but I will say I am very excited to see how the book plays out as a film.

Even more interestingly, Jun Ji Hyun (Gianna Jun, she of "My Sassy Girl" fame), will be playing the role of Lily, a very tragic figure in the book.  JJH is one of the few A-list K-actresses who actually seems serious about making it in Hollywood. Her first Hollywood attempt was not good; Blood: The Last Vampire bombed and was critically derided.  Oddly enough, her acting was praised and she came out of the mess pretty much unscathed since most of the blame was laid on the director.   In any case, "Snow Flower" promises to be a much better vehicle for her - it has that Asian exotica that America is so fond of and she's in the hands of a much better director.   I'm curious to see how she'll do speaking both English and Chinese though, she doesn't speak either if I'm not mistaken.  "Lily" is a pretty dynamic character so if she does well in this film I can totally see her breaking into Hollywood. As for first impressions, I am pleased to see that she is looking very raw and "into the role." She certainly hasn't lost her round cheeks and while they make her seem a tad chubby, she looks very charming and somehow suited to the role of the emotional, stubborn Lily.

Li BingBing plays Snow Flower and she looks gorgeous!  So polished and sophisticated, a great contrast to fierce Lily, who was born poor.  Again, I am curious to see how her character plays out on screen.  There are so many intense, tragic scenes in the book that would test even seasoned actresses - but I have very high hopes! Maybe we're looking at two new Hollywood stars ^_^ Hugh Jackman is in this movie too so I am seeing at least a decent audience draw :) Fingers crossed!

Review: My Beauty Diary French White Lily Mask

A special collection in celebration of the Taipei International Flora Expo, this limited-edition face mask harnesses the skin soothing and whitening qualities of the lily for a noticeably radiant and fairer complexion.

Purchased at: BonjourHK

Welcome to my new My Beauty Diary source!  It's significantly cheaper than Sasa and carries more products.  They even have some Holika Holika items :)!! If you want to try HH items, their Bulgarian Rose line is their newest release.  I personally find their Strawberry line the most tempting though ^_^  I'm toying around with purchasing some HH items.  There seems to be a dearth of HH reviews and I'd like to be one of the first to get on that (eheh that's what she said ;) sorry I can never resist a naughty joke ^^).  Anyway, if anyone wants me to reviews some more Holika Holika (some HH reviews I did before), let me know so I can include one or two in my next batch.

Their shipping was quite fast all things considered.  It took ~2-3 weeks and everything came neatly bundled.  The downside is that their minimum for free shipping is $99 USD and otherwise has $10 S&H no matter how little you buy.  Keep in mind everything is not cheaper across the board - just generally.  You still need to do some price comparisons and they have no re-stock product alerts (GAHHH), which is really annoying. Also their website navigation is uber clunky, they have no product descriptions (a real hassle when trying to pick new products to try -_-), and you are strictly limited to 2 of each item :P  I would say overall, BonjourHK has a slightly wider brand selection and good prices but terrible site design, which really does ruin the overall experience.   Nonetheless, I recommend you check out this site out! Their Laniege items are the cheapest I've seen so far and they have a couple Korean brands unavailable elsewhere.

Price: $7.60/5 pieces = $1.52/each + S&H. So yes, these are more expensive than the Natural Key line, which run about .20 less per mask.

Description: Whitening, soothing.

Suitable for: All skin types.

Experience: Lovely scent when I open the packet.  I get the cooling sensation that I love with sheet masks (probably b/c of the serum not because white lily is cooling or anything xD).  The experience is very nice and what I especially like about this mask is that it does exactly what it promises and does it well. As soon as I take off a mask my face soothed, brightened, and (temporarily at least) whitened (since the redness is down).  And just to clarify, by "whitened" I mean "even skintone."  My face definitely looks more luminous and it's nice to get such a good result from what seems to be gentle mask.

Overall
Fit: The BoB masks I have are the same shape as the MBD Natural Key line masks.  It has 2 slits around the chin and while there has been confusion over the number of slits (if anyone knows why let me know), the mask fits well on me.  Rinny has said the MBD masks she's tried has 4 slits and I do know that MBD has been changing the mask cut so don't assume your mask is fake or something if it has 2 or 4 slits. 

Scent: A very delicate, light lily scent. I'm not crazy about floral scents but it's such a mild, delicate scent I don't mind it at all.  It has a very clean undertone.

Mask texture: Soft and silky. It's a hair thinner than the MBD Natural Key line, much like FaceQ masks actually. But these BoB masks seem more absorbent than the FaceQ masks somehow.  Anyway, it's nice and sticks to your face well.

Excess serum: *sigh* I know I'm unique in my preference but I like my masks with a lot of excess serum (aka drenched) a la Silk Whitia masks.   In that sense, the BoB series has even less extra serum than the MBD Natural Key line.  This is keeping in mind that overall, MBD has the least excess serum compared to Silk Whitia and FaceQ.  BUT on the upside, all MBD masks are still very wet so don't worry about that :) the BoB series is no exception, it has plenty on the serum on the mask itself and since the masks holds the serum well, all the serum ends up on your face :)   As I've said many times before, it's a personal preference thing.

Claims: Like I said, this mask does everything it promises well.  Very soothing and gentle.  Redness goes way down, no irritation, and the very light floral scent is just...so soothing xD  I don't know about long-term whitening but it definitely temporarily whitens/evens my skintone.  My skin feel very smooth, plumped, and refreshed afterwards. 

Overall Results: I really like this mask. I'm going to say right out that it's one of my favorites and in my top 5 sheet masks overall.  Not bad considering I've tried over 15 different sheet masks so far (I know I am insaneee ><).  I am surprisingly fond of the French White Lily mask scent; floral usually comes across as heavy and musty to me but this has a very pleasing, clean scent.  Overall, I highly recommend this mask.  Of the three Blooming of Beauty series masks I've tried this is my favorite.

Overview of My Beauty Diary Blooming of Beauty Masks

Hello peeps~ before I start review the MBD Blooming Beauty sheet masks I thought I would do an overview of the latest series the ever-popular Taiwanese brand, My Beauty Diary released in 2010: the Blooming of Beauty series. This is a Limited Edition series and consequently, there are packaging differences and apparently there were changes in the mask material and formula too.   The BoB has 9 varieties (all are shown above).

From Make Me Blushhh. 
Check out Mona's post because it's pretty helpful.

# 1- 17 : My Beauty Diary Natural Key Line: the regular line that currently has 17 scents.

• I think they've added more since though.  I don't see the Cherry Chocolate, Bird's Nest, or Southern Apricot masks, for example.

#18 -20 : My Beauty Diary Luxury Line: the premium line that currently has 3 scents.

The Blooming of Beauty line is separate from the more known line aka the Natural Key line.  Hence they differ in packaging, formula, and price.  Per mask, the BoB series masks are slightly more expensive by a few cents (~.10-20 cents depending where you get yours).

Packaging Changes
The Blooming of Beauty series comes in boxes of 5 each whereas the regular MBD masks come in boxes of 10 each.  Both mask types also come with identical shiny plastic slips.  The packaging designs for BoB is quite classy (as you can see above), flower-y, and quite pretty. I adore the new individual mask packets (scroll to bottom).  They are so pretty compared to the Natural Key's boring rectangles.

Everything from the ruffled top and narrower design just seems a lot more luxe - although, since they're more expensive, they should be.

Mask Material Changes
The BoB masks are slightly thinner than the regular line. Supposedly, this helps with absorption but either way, both kinds of masks are fine.  Also the shape of the masks have stayed the same, both have just two slits around the chin.

The MBD mask shown here is from the original/regular line, NOT the BoB series.

Speaking of, one thing I don't understand is why the packaging picture on all the MBD masks show a mask with 4 slits:

...when the actual masks themselves only have 2 slits.  I'm pretty sure the masks I get are legit (the date stamps are embedded, cuts align, I buy from Sasa etc) but it confuses me why they'd advertise it like that.  I heard from Winnie that MBD recently added more slits to their masks but :\ but I dunno, I must have tried over 10+ varieties of MBD all from Sasa/legitimate sellers and they've all been the same 2-slitted version, even these very new BoB series.

Formula Changes
I've heard that there have been some formula changes and personally, I find the Blooming of Beauty series more effective overall than the Natural Key line ^_^  I may be slightly biased by the gorgeous packaging but the White Lily mask really just clicked with my skin :D But I'll get into that later during individual reviews.   Overall, the formula's texture and appearance are similar to the original masks - both serums are clear, light, dry without residue, and on the whole quite effective.

These are the masks I've tried so far :)  I'll refrain from reviewing these individual masks in this post but the Lily and Damask Rose masks were lovely!  I was so excited about the Damask Rose especially because come on - Coldstone Ice Cream!!  In actuality, the mask smells like a very sweet rose ^^ As for the Hydrangea mask, I wasn't crazy about it.  I've never actually smelled a hydrangea >< but it smelled strongly of black tea to me - REALLY strongly.  Hence why I wasn't crazy about it.  Anyway, I'll be reviewing the Blooming of Beauty masks I have during the next few days along with a nice bunch of Cosline and VOV masks.  I'm so glad my Sasa package finally came in that I will probably flooding you guys with sheet mask reviews xD don't say I didn't warn you ;)

Also I am sure everyone has heard about the traumas Japan has been facing in the past several days so I wanted include a list of links where people can donate.  These are all reputable places where you can be sure your money is going where it needs to go. Here is a small list of US/English language places you can donate:

• Japan Diaster Relief @ First Giving
• Direct Relief @ Direct Relief International
• Text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to Japan OR click here @ American Red Cross
• Donate $5, $10, or $25 to Support International Medical Corps' Emergency Relief Efforts in Japan and Other Affected Areas @ Groupon
• Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Relief @ LivingSocial/GlobalGiving
• In particular, you guys all know Habitat for Humanity International is very close to my heart and they too are collecting donations here.  Everything donated to Habitat through that page goes to Japan Relief.  

ManWomanFilms (above) also has a massive list of donation links in her YT info box so poke around there too.

Review: My Beauty Diary Pearl Powder Mask

My router at home went down for a few days so I was internet-less at home for a bit xD But in the meantime, my Sasa package finally came! YES! I do have to say I was rather surprised (in a good way) with the customer service. Basically, I emailed them about 1-2 weeks ago. First, I got an automated message saying they were on a little delayed from the holidays and they would personally reply within 48 hours.  And lo and behold, within 48 hours they emailed me my tracking number and note saying it had been delayed in Hong Kong for about 14 days O_o  In any case, 2-3 days ago the package arrived with everything tightly and neatly bundled.  So, I guess I'd say that while it literally took over a month to arrive, Sasa overall hasn't disappointed me.

Anyway, this means more face mask reviews!  I've only used this sheet mask 2x so far so take this review was a small grain of salt~  If my impression of this mask changes I'll probably come back and update this review. 

Purchased at: Sasa

Price: $12.10/10 masks = $1.20/mask

Description:

My Beauty Diary Pearl Powder Mask whitens nourishes and revitalizes skin. It is ideal for all skin types, especially dull and damaged skin.  Creates translucent and whitened skin: Super fine pearl powder contains various amino acid and microelements which permeate into skin, performing watery and white skin. Mulberry peel essence hydrates skin.  Revitalizes and nourishes skin: Vitamin B and seaweed complex revitalize and nourish skin while licorice and citrus ingredients condition and nourish skin.  Amazing Nanospheres Technology: Structured with plenty of tiny holes, it enhances absorption of nourishment, leaving skin moisturized.

Suitable for: It is ideal for all skin types, especially dull and damaged skin.

Experience: The white-gold packaging was really luxe to me ^_^ Dunno, something about the gold and silver I guess.   The mask had a really delicate, baby powder scent.  It smelled gentle and very pleasant.  Like all MBD masks, it fit and stayed nicely on my face.  As usual, there was just enough serum to put on my neck, no more no less. Overall, it was a very nice experience.  Unfortunately, when I took off the mask my the results weren't as dramatic as it is when I use the MBD Apple Polyphenol mask.  I feel like it soothed my skin but wasn't effectively brightening as I expected.  There wasn't much of a cooling effect either while I had the mask on my face so redness wasn't "as down" as it usually is. Basically, my face wasn't as radiant as I thought it'd be.

Overall
Fit: Two slits around the chin.  View my previous MBD reviews for pictures.  MBD masks fit me perfectly in any case.

Scent: Delicate baby powder scent. Quite pleasant.

Texture: Soft, thin, sticks to face well as per all MBD masks.

Excess serum: As I've said many-a-time before, MBD has enough serum but not as much as Silk Whitia or FaceQ.  Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on your preference.

Claims:

My Beauty Diary Pearl Powder Mask whitens nourishes and revitalizes skin.

• Not sure about nourishing but my skin does feel refreshed afterwards.

Creates translucent and whitened skin: Super fine pearl powder contains various amino acid and microelements which permeate into skin, performing watery and white skin.

• While it whitened my face because it brought down redness, my face didn't have that translucency that I get when I use other masks.  And what is "watery and white skin"? :P  I'm not sure about long term whitening (aka scar lightening).

Mulberry peel essence hydrates skin.

• Si senorita :)  My face felt more moisturized.

Revitalizes and nourishes skin: Vitamin B and seaweed complex revitalize and nourish skin while licorice and citrus ingredients condition and nourish skin.

• Repetition of point 1 :P

Amazing Nanospheres Technology: Structured with plenty of tiny holes, it enhances absorption of nourishment, leaving skin moisturized.

• Repetition of point 4 -_-

Overall results: This was a soothing, hydrating , mildly brightening mask.  On the upside, I can see this mask working for almost everyone.  It's very gentle, moderately soothing, and nicely scented. On the downside, I don't think it was that effective.  For example, I've been using the new MBD Flower series (from a previous batch) and the results I get from those are significantly better and more dramatic (I'll be reviewing those later). While I can see how this mask can perk up dull skin, I don't know how much of an effect it'd have on 'damaged' skin :\ I know that this mask is one of the more popular masks in the MBD line but personally, I'd only recommend this for people with very sensitive skin.  For others, it may not be as effective (aka brightening) as you may expect.

This is one of the most loved MBD masks and my assessment is lukewarm in comparison ^^ so like I said, do take this particular review with a grain of salt.  Everyone's skin is different (and if anything my skin is on the psychotic side) so in the end, it's always best to try things yourself :)

Review: My Beauty Diary Apple Polyphenol Mask

Purchased at: Sasa

Price: $12.10/10 masks = $1.21/mask

Description:

My Beauty Diary Apple Polyphenol Mask tightens pores, refines and hydrates skin. 

Nano mild Hibiscus acid tightens pores: It is a mild Alpha Hydroxy Acid which removes cuticles to prevent and correct large pores. Oil Balancing mask helps tighten pores and improve skin texture, leaving skin fine and radiant. 

Hydrate skin and restore elasticity: Nanospheres and hyaluronic acid extracted by biological technology boost formation of collagen to restore skin’s elasticity.

Amazing Nanospheres Technology: Structured with plenty of tiny holes, it enhances absorption of nourishment, leaving skin moisturized.

Suitable for: It is ideal for all skin types, especially skin with visible pores.

Experience: Lovely tangy apple scent as soon as I open it.  Mask itself is fine and holds enough serum, though there isn't much serum left over for your neck.  The mask doesn't have a "cooling" effect that I often get with Silk Whitia masks but the serum dries without a residue.  My face always seems smoother, brighter, and more hydrated after use.   Supposedly, this mask has a mild exfoliating effect (must be the AHA) and skin certainly does seem smoother though I don't see anything "peeling" off necessarily.

Overall:
Fit: MBD masks fit me well, though they aren't as adjustable as FaceQ masks.

Scent: A crisp, tangy granny smith apple scent.  Very similar to the TonyMoly Appletox.

Texture: Quite thin and light. Much thinner than Silk Whitia and a hair thicker than FaceQ.

Excess serum: While the mask itself is always nicely soaked, I never get as much excess serum from MBD masks as I do from FaceQ and Silk Whitia masks. 

Claims:

Nano mild Hibiscus acid tightens pores: It is a mild Alpha Hydroxy Acid which removes cuticles to prevent and correct large pores. <-- Perhaps with long term use pores will get smaller permanently but it does temporarily reduce pore size at least.

Oil Balancing mask helps tighten pores and improve skin texture, leaving skin fine and radiant. <-- Definitely leaves my skin looking quite radiant. 

Hydrate skin and restore elasticity: Nanospheres and hyaluronic acid extracted by biological technology boost formation of collagen to restore skin’s elasticity.  <-- My skin does seem temporarily "bouncier" and fuller but I am not sure of long term elasticity improvement.

Amazing Nanospheres Technology: Structured with plenty of tiny holes, it enhances absorption of nourishment, leaving skin moisturized. <-- I like how this mask leaves my skin moisturized without the slight oily sheen.

Overall results: I would definitely say this is my favorite sheet mask among all the ones I've tried/reviewed so far.  It has all the traits I'm looking for in a mask: effective, yet gentle, smells great, serum dries without residue, reasonably good fit, and MBD masks are actually the cheapest compared to FaceQ and Silk Whitia masks if you go by per mask cost in boxes of 10.  The only tiny nitpick I have is that I wish it came with more excess serum - however, others say their MBD have come with more than plenty, so maybe it was just my particular boxes?  I'll be ordering 2-3 boxes of MBD so I'll give that one more chance.

Anyway, I can see why the MBD brand is so popular and the fact MBD has so many sheet mask types to choose from makes the brand only more addictive I must say.   I am fiddling with my next Sasa haul (which includes more sheet masks than I ever though I'd try in my life) and I'm working on compiling a massive ranked list of my favorite sheet masks ^_^  But for now my top 3 favorite sheet masks have been MBD Apple Polyphenol, Skinfood Vita-A Gel Mask (not a 'sheet' but close enough ^_~), and Silk Whitia Soy Milk Whitening Mask (even if I do need to rinse afterward, it smells so damn good and leaves my face quite luminous).

Review: My Beauty Diary Red Vine Mask

I am crazy behind on sheet mask reviews ;_; I'm going to try to crank all of 'em out before January is up eheh ^^

Purchased at: Sasa

Price: $12.10/10 masks = $1.21/mask

Description:

My Beauty Diary NATURAL KEY LINE Red Vine Mask whitens, tightens skin and fights against oxidization.

Antioxidant: contains polyphenols in Flavonoid serves as an effective antioxidant to fight against free radicals and suppress the formation of collagen dissolvent, keeping skin elastic.

Convergent skin and boost circulation: Anthocyans and tannins boost circulation and convergent skin, leaving skin white and tight with natural blush.

Amazing Nanospheres Technology: Structured with plenty of tiny holes, it enhances absorption of nourishment, leaving skin moisturized.

Suitable for: It is ideal for all skin types, especially loose and dull skin.

Experience: I immediately smelled wine when I opened the mask. Mask was nicely drenched but being a cheapskate, I was sad that there wasn't enough serum to put on my neck too.  That said, the MBD serums are excellent - they dry perfectly!  No crust like Silk Whitia or irritation that I got from the FaceQ Red Pomegranate+CoQ10 mask.  One bad thing - once I got a weird rash just under my eyes (aka on my eye bags) after I used it but I can't figure out of it was this mask or something else.  Either way, I've continued to use this mask and haven't had any problems again.  But I will say that I infinitely prefer the MBD Apple Polyphenol mask.

Overall:
Fit: Pretty good. It has fewer slits than the FaceQ masks but it fits well enough.  Much better fit than Silk Whitia masks.  I'll be doing a FaceQ vs MBD vs Silk Whitia mask comparison once I'm done doing all the individual mask reviews :}

Scent: It reeks of alcohol.  Doesn't bother me ehehe but holy balls it smells like a frat party in a mask - cranberry juice + vodka is what comes to mind.  People may find it a repelling scent but some may love it ;)

Texture: Paper-like, very thin.  It's basically thinner than Silk Whitia masks but a hair thicker than FaceQ masks. 

Excess serum: Compared to Silk Whitia (drenched) and FaceQ (drenched), MBD doesn't have a lot excess serum.  Don't worry, the mask itself is plenty wet, but I usually don't any extra serum to put on my neck.   Fyi, I've used about 7-8 MBD masks so far and none of them have had as much serum as Silk Whitia or FaceQ masks.

Claims:

Antioxidant: contains polyphenols in Flavonoid serves as an effective antioxidant to fight against free radicals and suppress the formation of collagen dissolvent, keeping skin elastic. <-- Yes, my skin seemed more elastic-y.

Convergent skin and boost circulation: Anthocyans and tannins boost circulation and convergent skin, leaving skin white and tight with natural blush. <-- My skin did seem whiter; it took a lot of redness from scars away temporarily, but I dunno about a natural blush.

Amazing Nanospheres Technology: Structured with plenty of tiny holes, it enhances absorption of nourishment, leaving skin moisturized. <-- Yes, this was quite moisturizing.

It is ideal for all skin types, especially loose and dull skin.  <-- I would say there was a bit of firming up going on, my skin definitely felt plumper and more hydrated.  And yes to the skin brightening too.

Overall Results: Other than that odd rash under my eyes I got once (aka the most sensitive part of a face), this mask has been working fine. I usually fall asleep with sheet masks on (more cheapness) and the next day my face was plushy, very smooth, and white.   And let me throw in a bit of info about products that claim to 'whiten' (at least in Korea): "whitening" means that it's trying to lighten/whiten scars and hyper-pigmentation - not make your natural skin color whiter (though the reduction of hyperpigmentation may make your skin seem lighter).  The goal of Korean (and I suspect most Asian) "whitening" products are to even out skin tone via lightening/whitening unnatural hyper-pigmentation aka darker skin that was caused by sunburns and acne.  Somehow, along the way whitening products have become misinterpreted (understandably so) as products that make you lighter than your original skin color. In other words, the vast majority of whitening products (at least the Korean ones) may take a NC20 person who has tanned the hell out of her skin back to original skin color but will NOT take a NC30 to a NC20 if your are a natural NC30 without a tan. I'll talk more about this another day.  There was a shininess you can either take as oiliness or luminosity - I think it's both - my face was very moisturized.  Make no mistake, this is a decent mask but I don't feel this is the most "effective" mask I've used.  Overall, I'm going to finish the box but I will not re-purchase.  I also much prefer the MBD Apple Polyphenol Mask *heart*