Eric Nam 'Interview' Mini Album Review

Eric Nam's 'Interview'

Facts
♪ - Release Date: March 24, 2016
♪ - Country: South Korea
♪ - Label: ℗ CJ E&M Music, B2M Entertainment
♪ - Language: Korean and English
♪ - Number of Tracks: 5 (including 1 'international version')
♪ - Run Time: 16 minutes, 58 seconds
♪ - Photobook:

Opinion
Eric Nam has always delivered, and his latest mini album was no different. Yes, I am aware I am a year late on this, but better late than never! (Happy Anniversary to Interview!)

In this day and age, and especially in K-pop, artists are constantly switching up their sound (whether by choice or not), and it honestly drives me mad. But then there's Eric. I'm really happy that Eric Nam has been one of those artists that remains consistent with his musical sound.

This mini album starts out the title track 'Interview', and it's a soft ballad if I ever heard one. The mixture of soft bass melodies and drum beats are mixed with Eric's soft voice that makes it into a great mood song for a sunny spring day. At the same time, the title track has a versatility that also makes it appropriate for a snowy day when you're stuck inside curled up with a warm blanket, a good book, and hot chocolate or tea.

The second song (Good For You) definitely ought to be on every cafe's playlist. The song even mentions cafes and lattes. The song has a similar vibe to the first track though with more piano. The way Eric croons "For you, baby, you" makes you wish you were sitting in a cheery-looking cafe across from him talking and laughing over two fancy lattes. But, since the majority of us are not his close friends, we will have to let this second track from the mini album suffice.

Hands down, the third track is my favorite. 'Stop the Rain' is actually the first track from the mini album that I listened to. I usually try not to spoil myself by listening to songs that are released as music videos first and then later in the album. That way, I can get listen to the songs in order and with no pre-formed opinion based on songs I've purposefully or accidentally already listened. However, I always make an exception for Eric Nam.

In this case, there was no music video, but I did listen to the song prior to getting the physical copy of the mini album. And I have no regrets. 'Stop the Rain' is a little more upbeat than the first two songs, but it's not a loud song, which I appreciate. It still fits Eric Nam's style. (Can you tell I'm all about consistent style?)

I'm not someone who gets very technical with music in the "but the lilting piano melodies clashed with the electro-blahblahblah" way, but I do appreciate good mixing. All around I was impressed with this mini album. It's his first solo mini album in a long time so I was very happy when he had announced this one (all that time ago...).

Overall, I was really impressed by this mini album, and I'm always ready for new music by Eric Nam. To mention his songs he's released since 'Interview', his collaboration with KOLAJ was a really great summer-y song. Definitely more upbeat than his solo music, but his capability to dabble in other styles isn't unappreciated. That being said, I still prefer his actual solo music.

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This is not a PR sample. This was purchased with personal funds, and all opinions are my own.

All photos are mine unless stated otherwise.  Photos that do not belong to me will be linked to the source. Do not repost without permission.

Review - Skin Actives Cranberry Moisturizing Serum

I recently received a full-sized Skin Actives Cranberry Moisturizing Serum ($10.50 for 1 fl oz) for testing purposes, courtesy of review and shopping site 08Liter USA. The name is a bit of a mouthful, that's for sure. I'd never heard of the brand before, but I'm almost out of my Moonshot serum so I was happy that I was selected to try this out.

First Impressions
The packaging is simple, which I like, but it doesn't speak to me in any real way. However, I do like how practical the bottle is and how it's not bogged down by information. The information on the bottle is straight to the point and factual. The sticker is a peel-off so that with the ingredient list written underneath (see it on their website or on the bottom of this post).

According to the packaging, this serum is supposed to moisturize the skin with a matte finish. I've personally been getting more into the Korean-style dewy skin finish, but since this a serum, it isn't the final step in my routine. Usually I use serums directly after my two layers of toner.

This serum is also supposed to work as a makeup primer. That is definitely a perk since I'm a huge fan of multi-use products. However, I do have combination skin, so I usually need more moisture than what a serum can offer, so I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to get much use out of this as just a primer! I could try using it twice throughout my skincare routine and see how that goes, I suppose. That being said, I'll probably keep it just as a serum.

      

Overall Impressions
I really like the texture. It's not quite a gel, but it's not water-y either though it is a little bit runny. I like that the scent isn't heavy, since un-naturally scented products tend to irritate my skin (and my nose). The scent actually smells like actual cranberries or cranberry juice though I could barely smell it when I tested it on the back of my hand. I could sense the smell better when I was applying it to my face, which is a good sign that the scent isn't overwhelming or going to be strong as I layer all my other products over top!

You can't see it in the photos, but the serum actually is a light cranberry pink/red color. It goes on clear and doesn't leave any coloring on the skin. It also has tiny darker colored spots (cranberry flakes?) in it that dissolve as you massage the serum into your skin.

The finish isn't as matte as I expected. I guess I expected it to have a matte finish similar to a matte primer or base makeup, but this actually just has a slightly sticky, non/dewy feel after application. The serum sets into my skin in seconds, which is amazing. The sticky feeling does go away as the serum completely sets in, but I would make sure to wait until the sticky feel has gone away before applying your next layer, if you have another (or many more) layer(s).

Cranberry Moisturizing Serum:
Ingredients: Water, Sea Kelp (Lactobacillus/kelp ferment filtrate) Bioferment, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Vaccinium macrocarpon (Cranberry) Juice, Ferulic acid, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hyaluronic acid, Porphyridium extract, Fucoxanthin, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Sorbic Acid

Connect with Skin Actives:
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This is a PR sample. This was not purchased with personal funds, but all opinions are my own.

All products are linked as available. If I have not been able to find a link or website where you can purchase a product, then I am unsure if they are available for sale online or not. If you have seen that product for sale online, feel free to leave a link in the comments or message it to me over social media or through e-mail (xoxosplace @ gmail.com) and I'll be sure to link them into this post.

All photos are mine unless stated otherwise.  Photos that do not belong to me will be linked to the source. Do not repost without permission.

Influenster - Fierce VoxBox

I've been a member of product review site Influenster since 2013, and I was pretty on-and-off active, but I've been recently getting more active on that site. For those that don't know, Influenster is a site that offers its users free products, known as VoxBoxes, to test free in return for honest reviews.

The number of products in each VoxBox varies depending on the brand and the type of box it is. Influenster works with brands ranging from high-end like Burberry and Marc Jacobs to drug store brands like CoverGirl and Maybelline. However, boxes aren't limited to just beauty products, though mine usually are only beauty-related. I've previously tested out several boxes with dish soaps and snacks, among other lifestyle products, though those type of items don't cater as much to me currently. If you're interested in knowing more about Influenster, check out their site here! -> Influenster

Now on to the box! The box that I'm currently a part of is called the Fierce VoxBox. I honestly wasn't too excited about this box, since the products seemed to be a little bit random, but I'm always happy to receive free, and useful, things so of course I wasn't going to turn it down!

Every box comes with an info card, similar to what you'd find in a subscription box: product descriptions, brands, etc

The picture above shows everything that came in the Fierce VoxBox. A full-size tub of original Vaseline, a 20-pack of Carefree brand panty liners, a Sinful Colors x Kandee Johnson (shade varies by box), a multi-use sample of Shea Moisture shampoo and "blow out" creme, and a sample-size/travel-size Madam C.J. Walker Brassica Seed Oil.

The Vaseline, Carefree panty liners, and Sinful Colors nail polish are all items that I'm already familiar with. I have tried various products from each of those brands, and I don't have much to say about them. I can say that I love Vaseline for its multi-use capabilities. You can use it as a skin softener/moisturizer, for chapped lips, and I often use it when I'm detangling things. I've found that a little goes a long way, so this small tub should last me quite a long time, and I'm all about products giving me the best value.

As for the Carefree liners, I'm definitely not opinionated one way or another about these. For pads, I go for brands that work, but for panty liners, I generally go for whatever is cheapest. However, these will come in handy and will be used since they're something that I consider a hygienic necessity.

Previous to this VoxBox, I had never heard of this brand. I don't usually use argan oil products so it's not something I look for when shopping for hair care. I honestly spend very little time on my hair comparatively to the time I spend on taking care of my skin. I've found that as my skincare routine gets longer, my haircare routine gets shorter. Checks and balances, in a sense. All things considered though, I take care of my hair as best I can. I like it to be clean and healthy looking.

Out of this box, I'm definitely more interested in trying out the blowout creme. The info card states it's a "conditioning styling creme" so I'm excited to try it out. I don't often blow dry my hair because of the damage the heat can do to ones hair, but I make exceptions for special occasions or to try new products like this Shea Moisture styling creme.

Oftentimes, products that don't come in full-size come with a coupon for an amount off of the full-size product. I think it's really nice of the brands involved to offer that, especially since you're testing out the product for free and reviewing it for them! It's a nice extra.

  

When I first found out we were getting the Brassica Seed Oil, I assumed it was a skincare product. During the winter, my skin gets very dry, and I use oils to help provide the moisture I'm missing. However, this is not a skincare product, it's actually for your hair! I'm not a huge fan of shiny, shiny hair, but once again, I'm willing to try this out. If the oils you use for your face can help stem oil over-production, perhaps a hair oil can have the same effect on the scalp! Who knows.

I'm curious what amount of product you're supposed to use at any given time, because this bottle is small. Tiny, in fact. It comes with a dropper, which seems an interesting way to disperse oil for hair, but it does make it much easier and much less messy than pouring.

I'm actually really excited for the nail polish that we received! I've been keen on re-doing my nails, and this came at just the right time. As stated previously, the shade received varied from box to box. I received the shade 'Rock Kandee' and is a purple, holographic glitter. Glitter colors tend to be more of a top-coat type of polish, but the colored glitter in the bottle gives me lots of color options to work with. I could essentially put any color underneath as a complimentary base, if I can't use this all by itself.

Overall, this box wasn't the most exciting that I've tried out. I personally liked the e.l.f. Cosmetics box I received previously a bit more, but I tend to prefer boxes that focus on one particular brand because I get to try a range of products from one brand versus one product from various brands.

I still really enjoy using Influenster. I love the fact that you can read and write review products on almost anything lifestyle, food, or beauty related. It's a great way to see what other people are saying about a product but all in one place versus checking out reviews on every site the products are sold on. It's a great way to discover new products and show some love to products you already know about and use. If you're unfamiliar with Influenster, definitely check it out!

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All the featured products were sent to me for testing purposes. These were not purchased with personal funds, but all opinions are my own.

All products are linked as available. If I have not been able to find a link or website where you can purchase a product, then I am unsure if they are available for sale online or not. If you have seen that product for sale online, feel free to leave a link in the comments or message it to me over social media or through e-mail (xoxosplace@gmail.com) and I'll be sure to link them into this post.

All photos are mine unless stated otherwise.  Photos that do not belong to me will be linked to the source. Do not repost without permission.

Review - Nature Republic Color-Correcting Cushion 🌺

I picked up this Nature Republic color correcting cushion on my latest trip to Seoul in December. I purchased it in a Nature Republic store in the Hongdae/홍대 area. It currently costs 18,900₩, but I believe I got it on sale for 15,000₩ thanks to the new product launch sale they had going on for this. (Note: Nature Republic sales promotions vary by store)

This cushion comes with three shades: pink, green, and purple. Each of these colors are meant for different purposes. The minty green is meant to cover redness, pink helps cover up dark under-eye circles, and purple helps balance yellow-y skin-tones.

I like the packaging of the box because it fits the feeling of Nature Republic with a natural-looking box and simple logo design. Most, or at least many, of Nature Republic's products are green, white, or a combination of the two, and this cushion is no exception.

K-Beauty - December Haul

I went to Seoul for the second time in December for just under two weeks to visit extended family, and, of course, I had to snatch up a few beauty and skincare items! Korean skincare and beauty just can't be competed with. The formulas work better on my acne-prone, sensitive skin than most western brands, and often times the packaging is more appealing as well! Korea knows how to package its beauty and skincare.

The first items on my list were from Nature Republic. Their skincare is affordable, has nice packaging, and generally works well with my skin-type. I've tried a few of their makeup products as well, and I've got good things to say about all of it. The only thing about Nature Republic's makeup is that their products tend to come in a very limited range of shades, compared to other Korean makeup or makeup/skincare stores.

This trip I picked up three things that I haven't tried before! I purchased the Fresh Green Tea foam cleanser, the Bamboo Charcoal wash-off mask, and their relatively new color-correcting cushion!

K-Beauty - Moonshot Cosmetics

One of my newest beauty and skincare favorites actually comes from a rather surprising source: South Korean entertainment giant YG Entertainment. YG Entertainment is famous for its pop groups including BigBang and Black Pink, both of whom are also brand ambassadors for Moonshot.

Moonshot, as far as I can tell, was the idea of a summer intern that ended up coming to be. I wasn't aware of the brand until I stayed in Seoul, South Korea for six months as an exchange student. I found out about it through a friend who is a huge fan of a YG Entertainment group, so I followed her to one of their stores to check it out. I didn't buy anything on my visit, but I ended up having a few hours free time later during my trip and ended up buying a few things. I left Korea wishing I had stocked up on more of the Moonshot product since I liked the items I had so much. I ended up going back to Seoul in December and made sure to stock up on the products I hadn't gotten the first time around.

My first and favorite product from Moonshot is definitely the Microfit Cushion. It's not drying as many cushions can be, and it also has SPF in it, which makes it a double bonus if you accidentally forget sunscreen in your beauty routine. 

The Moonflash Cushion is a more recent purchase. I haven't tried it yet, but the basic idea behind it is a highlighter. It's a highlighter in cushion form. I personally struggle using brushes and applying liquid products evenly throughout my face, so having a highlighter in cushion form is a great thing for someone like me. It comes in a pink-ish shade and works also as a base and top layer. The pinkish tone is great to add a little bit of color to a finished makeup look as a highlighter or works great as a color correcting to soften the tone of the skin.

(Both of these are refill-able, with the re-fills being found here - 'Microfit re-fill' x 'Moonflash re-fill'.)

Influenster e.l.f. Cosmetics VoxBox

Hey all! It's literally been forever since I wrote, but I'm back to write about the latest VoxBox I've gotten! I kind of fell off the Influenster radar for a while because I was constantly traveling and was seriously busy with school, but now I have some free time as I finish up final projects and exams.

I got this in the mail about 2 weeks ago, but I'm finally writing about this! I was so excited to be able to get into this VoxBox because I love e.l.f. and I was excited to be able to try a bit of their new skincare line available on their website!

*I received these products courtesy of Influenster and e.l.f. Cosmetics, but all opinions expressed are mine.*
*All photos are my property. Please do not repost without permission and/or credit*

To begin with, some photos!

Most Influenster VoxBoxes are themed based on the specific brand products inside!

View of the inside of the box

All five products from the box