One of the great perks about having real-life personal Boxers to help you carry out your shopping needs is that they can also offer you recommendations on what you should get from the country you’re shopping from. As some of you might already know, many of our Boxers are avid beauty junkies, from Boxer Anne from USA to Boxer Donia from South Korea.
Our two-part series on the ultimate guide to shopping in Korea today features a sneak peek inside Boxer Donia’s Espoir makeup kit. Below are her top 7 items she’s vouching for and a personal note as to why she loves each item:
I like to call Espoir the M.A.C Cosmetics of Korea – both brands have a similar price range and overall consistently excellent quality! It’s a bit pricier than the average road shop brands (think Missha, Etude, Innisfree, etc) but I find the quality to be superior most of the times. These 7 items are a combo of new and regular favourites that I love –
Lipstick No Wear, KRW19,000, + Add To Wishlist
This lipstick has won many beauty awards and for a good reason – I think they’re the best Korean lipsticks currently available here (excluding luxury brands). They come in many different finishes, from Luster, Glossy, Semi-Matte, Matte, Touch (glossy and moisturizing) and more.
My first Espoir lipstick was actually from their Tint Glow line – the Pink Mirror, a tint lipstick which kind of reacts with your PH and creates a unique color. Then came the No Wear Lipsticks: Acid Kiss from the Glossy line, Spotlight from the Touch line, and so it went on. Then I couldn’t stop myself anymore! But if you were to go for only one, you NEED to check out Soho (PK004) from the Matte line. It looks flattering on all kinds of skin tones, and it’s just the prettiest pink I’ve ever seen.
Couture Touch Lip Fluid, KRW19,000, + Add To Wishlist
If a lip gloss had a baby with a lipstick, this is what you would get! It’s a liquid lip product which initially gives off a glossy finish that isn’t sticky at all, and then it turns matte. It’s a tint, too, so it’s very long lasting. I discovered it when one of my friends visited Korea and we went out shopping – the colour range was so beautiful, I couldn’t resist and got one. And then a second one. And we all know what happened next.
Eyeshadows (2g), KRW10,000
While Espoir offers some really pretty matte eyeshadows called Chiffon and Cotton (Eyeshadow Chiffon in Warming Up was my favorite single eyeshadow of 2015!), their true strength lies within their Satin (+ Add To Wishlist) and Sequin ones (+ Add To Wishlist). Man, they go on like butter! You should check out Almond L’Amour and Fine and Dandy! I wish they had a prettier eyeshadow palette to hold a larger amount of their eyeshadows – that would make using them even better.
Makeup Fix Mists, KRW22,000 (regular size 120ml) / KRW7,000 (mini size 30ml)
I adore Espoir’s Makeup Fix Mists for three reasons: 1) They help your makeup stay on longer, 2) They make your makeup look less powdery, and 3) They smell divine. The smell is very luxurious so it makes the experience of spraying it on your face extremely pleasant! The Face Prime Long Wear Fix Mist (+ Add To Wishlist) is my favorite and I have gone through the whole bottle. I’m currently using the Face Prime Glow Fix Mist (+ Add To Wishlist) – I spray it on my eyeshadow brush before applying satin/high-sheen eyeshadows to intensify their colour!
Water Splash Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA+++-, KRW15,000 for 50ml, + Add To Wishlist
I love this sunscreen. Like everything from Espoir, it has a divine scent. Its texture isn’t heavy or sticky and is very lightweight while giving a subtle glow to your complexion. I have a sunscreen from another brand but I still go back to this one, because, again – the experience is just so much more pleasant!
Pinup Curler Full Black Glamorous Mascara, Red Edition, KRW22,000, + Add To Wishlist
This is a limited edition item, so hurry up and add it into your order! Made for the adventurous beauty lover, this mascara is literally red. I use it on my lower lashes with a burgundy eyeshadow smudged out on the lower lash line for a rich dose of colour. If you’re into bold and edgy makeup looks, this is the ideal mascara for you.
Protect Dark Circle Concealer Duo in Natural, 2.5g x2 for KRW25,000, + Add To Wishlist
Now I have to admit that with this one, it wasn’t love at first sight. I’ve just switched from another concealer so I was initially used to a different texture, but this concealer really makes a difference when it comes to dark circles. The salmony shade covers my dark spots up very nicely and it’s not too heavy, the consistency is just right for under the eyes. This helps me out big time when I don’t get enough sleep the night before!
A little cheat: Pro Tailor Liquid Foundation EX SPF 25 PA++-, KRW38,000, + Add To Wishlist
This isn’t in my top 7 list because I don’t have a full size of it (yet! – I’m currently using up another foundation to make room for this one). But I have received a deluxe sample of this and they go forever. It’s a very moisturizing, medium-coverage foundation and leaves you with a healthy glow. Korea didn’t have very good foundations until now, but I think this one started a new trend and era. I have combination skin, so I need to powder it down once in a while, but I love it nonetheless. My Japanese friend, who suffers from dull, ashy-looking skin, absolutely fell in love with it and traveled all around Seoul to get the particular shade she wanted, as it was sold out it most stores, so that says a lot!
Get Started in less than 10 seconds:
- Simply click on the ”Add To Wishlist” links above!
- This will automatically add the items into your ShopandBox wishlist after it prompts you to sign in/sign up.
- You can add as many items as you want into your wishlist (even items not mentioned above).
- Once you’re ready, simply select the items you want bought, name your order, and hit the “Submit Order” button.
- You will be assigned a personal Boxer who will help you buy all your coveted items.
- Your box of goodies gets shipped to your door in 1 – 3 days wherever you are in the world!
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