Review: Tony Moly Banana Sleeping Pack - I'm glad it was a sample

I received this product as a sample and it is something I will definitely not be buying for myself.

I read a number of reviews before I tried it, and was excited to  use it, however when I did, I was disappointed. 

As the name suggests, you're supposed to put it on before you sleep and let it soak in over night. I applied it before bed and my experience is that, other than the lovely smell, it didn't work for me. 

The product is very easy to apply and the smell is a very relaxing soft banana smell - very lovely. After application I went to bed and having read the reviews, I prepared myself to experience some sort of discomfort as reviews mentioned it would be for those who aren't used to it. I was prepared for that. 

What I wasn't prepared for was the itchiness that I felt afterwards and the longer it stayed on, the itchier it got. I had to remove it in less than an hour. The next day, I got a pimple. 

This mask is definitely not for me =(

Review: Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm - love it

Last week I was browsing the Sephora website and came across the Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm - since I had been experimenting with masks, I've been closely inspecting my face and felt I needed to try this (although I'm told that I don't have many black heads and my pores aren't that big, but I am a bit OCD...). It was sold out on the Sephora website, but I found it at my local H Mart for almost half the price - $12.99.

Why? It was described as: A self-heating balm targeted for blackheads that removes dirt and oil within minutes. I love anything that heats up, cools, tightens or hardens on my skin. It just feels so satisfying. 

Not to mention, it's incredibly cute looking. 

I used a small dab, about the size of a pea and it was enough to apply on the sides of my nose and across. It's easy to apply and spread around, but I didn't feel it heat up at all. Nothing. I was disappointed with that, but the smell of it is very, very pleasant and the end result was quite impressive. I left it on for a little over 5 minutes (it's recommended to be left on for 3 - 5 minutes). There was a noticeable difference in my pores and my nose felt very smooth, but it did lack the clean and airy feeling that I would get from using a nose strip. 

Would I get it again? Yes - a little amount goes a long way and I can see it lasting for a good year with regular use. For $12.99 you can't beat the value for an effective product. It's a very quick and easy, no-mess way to get results.

Sephora versus H Mart pricing for Korean skincare products

Lately I've been on a bit of a face-mask purchasing binge and while I was surfing the Sephora website, came across the Korean brand - Tonymoly. 

I placed 2 items (a blackhead steam balm, and an eye mask that makes you look like a panda  (so cute!!)) in my basket, only to find that they were sold-out. As luck would have it, I had a meeting the next day and walked passed my local H Mart and came across the exact same items (I didn't even know that part of the store had opened), selling for less than what I found them for on both Sephora websites.

The Sephora US site priced them at $18.00 and $3.00 respectively, and to account for the exchange rate, the Sephora Canada site price is selling them at $23.00 and $4.50.

I purchased them for $12.99 and $1.99 respectively.

For any of you interested in Korean products from Sephora, check your local H Mart first.

I will do a follow-up review post when I have had a chance to try these out.