There are so few beauty stores that are really enticing me lately, as it all feels a bit “same old,” but K-Beauty is definitely the one thing that still gets my beauty buzzers zinging (I have no idea what that means) because there is so much newness and innovation, that it’s hard not to get excited. I was recently given a voucher to have a little beauty binge at Tonic15, a new K-Beauty online shop that stocks some fantastic K-Beauty brands, so I couldn’t wait to get stuck-in, which I did, and went well over my budget, but it’s all good!
The first item I added to my shopping basket was the Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water as this is the sort of product that really does it for me, and I think K-Beauty really excel at getting the balance right when it comes to acid toners, as I always find them to be incredibly gentle with no stinging, yet very effective at providing a mild exfoliation. I love Mandelic Acid too – it’s one of those acids that does everything – so I am very happy to have this in my kit. It’s £21 here – link.
Can you even call it a K-Beauty haul if you didn’t pick up an essence? The May Coop Raw Sauce intrigued me as it appears to be mostly tree sap, an ingredient that can be quite detoxifying on the skin, plus a mix of botanicals and antioxidants that comes together to provide a great additional step in your skincare routine. I really like the fact that Tonic15 are stocking two sizes of this, so you can do what I did and try out the smaller 40ml for £11, before investing in the full-sized bottle. Here it is – link.
Predictably, I was mask-heavy with my haul, the first of which was the I’m From Mugwort Mask, which I reviewed earlier this week here. There’s not much I can add that I didn’t already say in the review, but to summarise, this is a herby gel that is incredible at soothing and healing redness and inflammation, so if you struggle with either of those issues, you will love this. It’s £32 here – link.
The final product is another mask, the Huxley Healing Mask: Keep Calm, which is a thick, slightly grainy gel that’s perfect for when skin feels really dry and tight due to sensitivity issues, as this just sits on the skin, soothing and calming it down and making it feel cool and lightly hydrated. What I love about this mask is that it’s so thick, so it stays sitting on the surface of the skin – sometimes you want a mask to absorb, but when it comes to needing something to cool and calm hot and inflamed skin, you want something to sit there and keep acting, rather than disappearing into your skin. I like this when I’ve been overdoing it with the actives, or if I want a really hot bath but don’t want my skin to act-up. It’s another great buy at £24 here – link.
With my purchases, I also got a little drawstring bag containing some additional sample sachets, which is a great way to try out other products available at Tonic15 before buying. I’ve literally seen at least 5 other products I want from the shop, so expect another haul soon!
*Purchased using some of my own money alongside a £50 voucher
