Gmarket Haul + How to shop on Gmarket

What is Gmarket?

 This is my most recent Gmarket haul. So for those who don't know what Gmarket is, it's the equivalent of the Korean Ebay. However, they work through a warehouse where they ship the products that you purchase from personal mini shops. If you are interested, I will have the English site posted bellow. It's very easy to find particular items on the site, however navigating through the mini shops is a different story. If you can't at least read some Korean, you might have a slightly difficult time choosing the items as the descriptions as well as the product names are all in Korean with some exceptions. What you can do is write down the name of the product and when you're ready to add it to your cart you can make reference to it instead of constantly scrolling down. I think the biggest selling point for me is the price for the products; some of them are significantly cheaper but you still have to keep in mind that there is a shipping fee. The shipping fee starts at around 15,000 won which is roughly $14-15 for 0.5kg (this is only about 2-3 items at max). The shipping fee goes up by about 5,000 won per 0.5kg but once you get to around 2.5-3kg it only goes up by 2,000 won. So essentially it's more worth it to buy in bulks than a couple of items.

Having said all of this, the items that you purchase are sent to a warehouse and this is where Gmarket ships all of the items together since you will most likely be purchasing from multiple shops. If there is a difference in the estimated shipping to the actual shipping, you will either be asked to pay the difference if actual is higher than estimated, or refunded if actual is less than estimated. There are many forms of payment and they are very safe from what I have experienced. If they are out of stock in an item you have already paid for, you will be refunded in the purchased amount in the form of payment. They accept direct deposits, credit cards, and paypal which I would say is the safest. Tip: make sure to log in everyday and spin the wheel so you get points towards credit later on. (10,000 points = 10,000 won) You can also click for coupons on the site that will give you a good discount on products.

So this is how it actually comes in the mail. You have a giant box and then you have smaller boxes from each individual shop and they always wrap it in bubble wrap so it doesn't get damaged through the shipping process. 

This is what I purchased this time around. I picked particular items to purchase this time since I don't really need much.

AmorePacific Moisture Bound Rejuvenating Serum Set (120,000 won - I got it for 115,000 after discount)

The serum itself costs $100 +tax at sephora so this is a much better deal.

Etude House Bling In The Sea Precious Mineral Sun BB Cream SPF50+/PA+++ (17,000 won - I got it for 8,500 won)

This is the revamped version of the previous one that came out last summer. This particular one came out this summer.

SU: M 37 Water-fiull Timeless Water Gel Cream (52,000 won - I got it for 48,360 won)

I needed a moisturizing cream that wouldn't be too rich for my combination skin. A friend from Korea recommended this to me and voila. 

Laneige Original Essence White Plus Renew (35,700 won - I got it for 33,730 won)

This is the renewed version of the previous white plus renew essence which I have used as well. This is my second bottle since I am running low on my first one. They have changed not only the packaging but the essence itself which I actually like better than its previous version.

Hera HD Fix Face Coat 60 Mint Green (39,000 won but I got it for 36,270 won)

I also own the foundation and the compact face powder form this HD Fix line and it's a renewed version of their previous HD line. 

Black Purse (24,800 won)

I am very surprised by the quality of this bag as it is quite good and sturdy. Still I'm not too sure about holding too much weight in this but so far I really like this purse. It beats spending hundreds of dollars on a designer purse that I could possibly break in 2 months. 

Pink peep-toe heels (24,120 won)

So these are not very expensive and I can tell when I put them on my feet. The material at the front where your toes go is way too soft and it moves wherever your feet go if you know what I mean. The shape doesn't hold and they don't fit my feet properly unfortunately. I don't want to pay for shipping just to ship them back to Korea so hopefully one day I will suck it up and wear them -.-

More info: They do have return policies if you check out their website. It is actually quite informative if you have any issues and whatnot, and it is in English. 

More Tips: If you are skeptical about being scammed, you should be because it does happen. Some products may not be what you think so make sure the seller has a good standing and good reviews. Also, if a product is too good to be true as in it's way way cheaper than what you would imagine then it's probably not what you're going to get. Look for sellers that give a reasonable price and this can be done by comparing other sellers and their prices. You might find some really great deals from time to time as they do go on sale during special events on Gmarket. One time I got a K-pop CD for $1...I know that's ridiculous but they do these events from time to time. Also check for either manufacture date or expiry date on products to know they are legit and functioning well. Most Korean products will have a manufacture date and are good for 3 years before opening. 

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them in the comment box and I will be back with reviews and more hauls!!!

website: Gmarket

Hera CC (complete care) cream vs. O HUI UV color control cream

Hera CC crema

What is a CC cream?
CC creams can have a wide range of definitions like color correction, complete care, color change. Its technology was formulated in Japan and later further developed in Korea. It is a refined version of the BB cream with less harmful ingredients, less oil, higher nourishing and skincare benefits, and supposedly 'more effective skin coverage' (I will explain the quotation marks later). They can be used either as a makeup base or alone.

Can I use CC creams?
This is rather subjective because everyone has different needs to their skin and everyone likes their skin to look a certain way. I say this because CC creams in terms of color change creams will look different on every one depending on your skin. They are engineered to adhere to your natural skin tone as you blend them in. Typically, they only come in 1 or 2 shades; beige tone CC creams come in 2 and color change CC creams come in 1. 
They were made for the Asian market therefore they are light in color and will suit most fair tones up to a light-medium skin tone. If you are on the darker range then a color change cream will be the better choice for you because they adjust to your skin tone.The way this works is by a release of color beads that burst when you start blending and that's what helps adjust to the natural color.

O Hui UV CC cream

Hera CC (complete care) Cream (SPF35/PA++) 

Price: $35-$45

Color: 02 Natural Beige (other: 01 Pink Beige)

Description: A Photoshop cream that creates transparent and gorgeous skin like Photoshop. An emulsion powder that spreads like absorbing into skin leaves moisture and removes oil. Sticks to skin and creates elastic skin veil. Contains 50% of skin care moisturizing ingredient to create resilient face.

Volume: 30ml

Ingredients: Cell culture cocktail (Apple stem cell culture medium, grade seed oil, vitamin C, honey, hyaluronic acid, and vegetable protein)

O Hui UV CC (color control) Cream (SPF50+/PA+++)

Price: $35-$45

Color: only one shade (pink with red and black beads)

Description: CC cream that changes color to match to skin tone as soon as applied. All-in-one moisturizing cream that spa mineral ingredient offers super moisture to create gorgeous skin color. Cooling feeling soothes skin. 

Volume: 15g + refill

Ingredients: N/A

Comparison

Packaging: The Hera one comes with a pump tube and it is very sleek. The pump is a little hard to control for the amount. The O Hui one comes in a compact with a pump mechanism as well, but it is much easier to control as you push down to get a set amount of product each time and can pump more or less for desired quantity. It is also very sleek and more travel friendly for touch-ups. 
Scent: They are both scented but they are very light and they smell lovely in my opinion. The Hera one smells more flowery and is more on the fragrance side of smells (all Hera products have a scent; their skincare lines smells like perfume but the CC cream is much lighter and fresh). The O hui CC cream is light and fresh with no particular smell; it goes away after a while.

Texture: They are both creamy but the Hera CC cream is lighter when applied although heavier on the actual skin. The O Hui has a slight mousse-like texture with the color capsules in it. They both have a very light texture that allows the skin to breathe and not feel the product; it doesn't cake. 

Moisture: This one goes to Hera for sure. It feels much more moisturizing specially in the winter and it gets rid of dry patches. The O Hui CC cream is a little less moisturizing and suitable for the summer or those with oily skin; it does however minimize appearance of dry patches with longer wear. 

Lasting Power: CC creams generally last about 4-5 hours at max. Hera wears for about 5 hours with a setting powder and O Hui wears for 7-8 hours with a setting powder and about 5-6 without. They can slip off at the end of the day or disappear.

O Hui on the left and Hera on the right (this is only after
2 minutes but after an hour, there's not much spread)

Oil Control: Although they both generate the same amount of oil, I get more oily with the Hera one only because it's extremely moisturizing. O Hui only generates a little bit of oil by the end of the day and mostly on the T-zone.

Application and Blending ability: The Hera CC cream is better applied with either fingers or a beauty blender; it has a dewy finish and it blends quite well with a tapping motion. (Tip: Use fingers to tap the product in; you get better coverage this way). The O Hui CC cream is better applied with the sponge applicator that it comes with because it leaves a more natural look and it blends better. (After sweeping motions, tap with the sponge to set). It has a semi-dewy finish; it's more bright than dewy with a natural highlight effect.

Coverage: CC creams have next to no coverage but among all the CC creams I have seen, these two are a bit superior to the rest. The Hera CC cream has better coverage overall and it's closer to a BB cream in that sense. The O Hui CC cream covers redness really well and makes even skin tone. The Hera one covers some scars but not very deep dark scars. Coverage is not very build-able; it is light coverage.

Sensitivity: I did not experience any breakouts from either of these and they made my skin look better as I wear them. My skin tone did get a little lighter but I can't say that it's due to these products although they contain some whitening ingredients. Make sure to wash it off properly but so far I have not experienced clogged pores or anything form these products.

O Hui on the left and Hera on the right

Recommendation: Hera CC cream is best used in the winter or for dry skin types in the summer. The O Hui CC cream is more suited for oily skin types and perfect for the summer. If you want a bright skin tone with a light feel, CC creams are perfect for you. They offer minimal coverage but are good for those that have some redness and fairly good skin condition. They are both very good CC creams and they are my go-to products for this year so I highly recommend them. They give me the perfect amount of coverage and brightness to feel confident in my no-so perfect skin. =) 

Any questions? Message me!!! Or leave a Comment!!!

Disclaimer: None of these products are sponsored, I bought them with my own money and this is my honest opinion.

WARNING: A SLIGHTLY DEPRESSING BLOG

We often find ourselves at some point in life just thinking nonstop about what’s going on around us and what’s going to happen in the near future. I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m a hypocrite.

           

            So I told my friend just a week ago to not think about these things so often and take things as they come; slowly. However, slow feels like eternity in my head and I’m about to explode if I don’t get these thoughts out. So as I was saying, my friend is rather bothered by all this and it’s making her unhappy. She has a boyfriend, she has two jobs, she seems to be doing well in school, but she’s unhappy. Why is she unhappy? In a way I understand her because no matter how much I laugh and smile in everyday life, deep down I have my own sadness. It’s not sadness from pain, it stems from the sadness that everyone experiences throughout their lives. I wonder if anyone is ever really happy deep down. With all these worries and stress, we carry on with our lives but this THING is never really gone.

            I find that sometime I find myself just looking and observing others. I really like analyzing people and trying to figure out their behaviour and motives for doing things. Maybe I’m just trying to look for an answer in myself. I don’t know why I feel this way and I get slightly irritated when others ask why do I feel like this or why do I do things like this. Why, is the question I’m also trying to answer. Do we also have to have motive for doing things? I guess we do since that’s what civilized people do, but I just want to let loose and do what I want without others questioning what I do. I don’t want to know why I do things.

            And so I move back to my friend. I gave her a lot of advice that day, not knowing myself what I was saying. Half the crap I said I don’t think I believed myself because that wasn't exactly how I felt. Again HYPOCRITE. But what I said was the ideal and how I really wanted to feel except right now, I’m still wondering about everything.

            I’m hitting 21 very soon. It’s the big party age if you live in America. Parties are supposed to be fun and on the surface they are, but sometimes I feel like they’re not even that fun. You go and get drunk; everyone forgets for a moment of all their problems and enjoys the buzz. That’s it, right? Yeah, it’s real smart drowning all these emotions in alcohol; a Bellini would be nice.

            I guess what I’m trying to say is, we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. Heck, we don’t even really know what’s happening right now. But the one thing that keeps everyone going is hope, hope that one day things will clear up and that cloud in our heads will dissipate into a clear sunny sky. My ultimate goal is to understand my purpose and my own motives for living my life. I just wish I didn't have so many eyes and mouths at my side watching and telling me each and every step I take. Is life truly ours? Or is our social environment the stubborn little cloud that won’t move?

            My problem: EMPTINESS.

Gmarket Haul - emergency skincare

I have finally decided to update my blog with a new haul. This time around, I am purchasing what I call my "emergency skincare". Why, you ask? Well to give you a little update on my skin, I've had horrible reactions to my previous products plus the added stress from school did not help at all. 

If you're not familiar with IOPE or O HUI, they are highly popular korean brands. IOPE is under AMORE PACIFIC which also makes high end brands like HERA, mid-end like LANEIGE, and affordable products from ETUDE HOUSE. O HUI on the other hand is a high-end brand from LG Cosmetics.

First off, my experience with Gmarket was great this time around. It took exactly a week to receive all of my purchases, in a giant box like always. Nothing was damaged and each thing was packaged neatly and carefully. I will be purchasing again sometime in the future when shipping goes on discount...I paid $35 for shipping this time. 

So I have been eyeing this product for quite a while, and finally decided to purchase it after much consideration. This is the newest item from IOPE called the BIO ESSENCE INTENSIVE CONDITIONING. It was only released last year but it has slowly started to gain much popularity in Asia by being compared to the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. It claims to enhance every day changing skin's condition to help create translucently smooth skin. I paid $47 for this set and it comes with the 168ml bottle, 84 facial cotton sheets, and a 5-piece sample set from the moistgen line. Everything was packaged nicely and I love the little gift. I really hope this works well with my skin so watch out for a longer review on this. 

The second set that I bought is this O HUI White Extreme Special set. Description: Transparent cells make bright skin. O HUI White Extreme is a whitening treatment that purifies, regenerates and brightens the skin by restoring fresher radiance to the cells. This set was $77 and it comes with the two full size emulsion and toner (each 150ml), two deluxe size (20ml), the cell shine essence (4ml), the purifying cleansing foam (40ml),  and a 3D black mask. I have actually tried a sample of these products before and I absolutely loved them. They made my skin look brighter and more transparent, as well as improving the quality of my skin as a whole. During the summer, I found a location that sells these products but the set goes for $150. 

Overall, I think this purchase was much more worth it than buying it in store. Gmarket has always been my go-to place for korean cosmetics and makeup because of the value. Except for the overblown price for shipping, I think it's pretty worth it. I will be posting reviews for these products as soon as I get a good sense of them so please watch out for that!!

Thanks for reading! =)